The manhunt is over.  After a tense 48-hour search that engulfed communities throughout Essex and the capital, Hadush Kebatu, the Ethiopian asylum seeker whose unjustifiable release from HMP Chelmsford caused national outrage, has been arrested again in north London.

Kebatu was scheduled to be deported after being found guilty last month of sexually abusing a 14-year-old schoolgirl and a woman.  Instead, he disappeared into London's transport system after being mistakenly released by prison guards. His release sparked protests and was deemed "totally unacceptable" by authorities.

A vigilant citizen reported Kebatu to the police on Sunday morning after spotting him close to Finsbury Park station.  Officers moved swiftly, arresting him without any opposition. The arrest was confirmed by Justice Secretary David Lammy, who also pledged to conduct a thorough independent investigation into the shortcomings of the prison system that allowed a convicted sexual offender to escape punishment.  

Police liaison officers have gotten in touch with Kebatu's victims, and his deportation is now anticipated to happen in a few days. The father of the teenage victim described the incident as "unbelievably irresponsible" and claimed that his daughter had been living in constant fear since the release.

This case has revealed flaws in a prison system that is already under stress and rekindled discussion about how the UK handles foreign national offenders.  More than 260 prisoners were mistakenly released in the last year alone, according to recent statistics, which represents a significant increase over prior years. 

Now that Kebatu is back in custody, focus is shifting to accountability and the more general query of how many more dangerous people have gotten past the system.