UPDATE: Last Phalaborwa escapee caught
The remaining escapee, 24 year old Benny Mathaba was rearrested last night while in hiding in the Phalaborwa area.
The other two escapees were killed in two separate incidents in the Tzaneen Policing area on Sunday.
“The Police followed information of this escapees in Tzaneen (Talana) hostel, which is situated in the industrial area of the town,” said Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.
When the police arrived the suspects opened fire at the Officers and they retaliated.
“During this process, one escapee, Papiki Mashapo aged 23 years old was shot and killed, followed by 23 year old Thomas Maowasha who was found dead away from this scene”, Ngoepe further stated.
“The suspect was found with multiple wounds and he appeared to have been assaulted by a group of unknown people” said Ngoepe.
The three were awaiting trial, escaped from the Phalaborwa holding cells on Thursday when they pounced on Police Officers who were busy feeding them and managed to disarm one of them and escaped and no shot was fired.
Benny Mathaba will appear before the Phalaborwa Magistrate Court on Friday on a charge of escaping from lawful custody.
Police investigations are still continuing.
Audio report as follows:
