Three of the four prisoners awaiting trial, who escaped the Barberton SAPS holding cells, are still at large.
Last week Barberton Times reported that one had broken out of jail. However, the station commander, Lt Col Sunbright Ndlovu has confirmed that four men escaped.
Ndlovu confirmed that the incident took place on Sunday November 15. He said the suspects escaped by breaking through the jail bars. However, it was still unclear which object was used.
Ndlovu said one of the men was rearrested on Monday after he broke a leg during the escape.
The unidentified suspect awaits trial and is still under police guard at Barberton General Hospital.
He said the other three have been identified as Vusi Masango (36) and Alcino Mataveni, illegal immigrants believed to be from Mozambique, and Vusi Khumalo (33), popularly known as Qanda.
Masango faces charges of trespassing while Mataveni is accused of being in the country illegally.
Khumalo, who once worked at one of the local hardware stores, faces five charges of rape and sexual harassment.
“An internal and criminal-activity investigation has since been opened to investigate how the prisoners escaped. A task team led by Capt Nkosi will head the investigation. As much as we understand that prisoners escape at big jails, we are disappointed that it happened in our area.”
He urged community members to assist the police in rearresting the three.
This was not the first time that Khumalo had escaped from the holding cells. Earlier this year, he was rearrested after a prison break. He was apprehended at a restaurant in Judge Street after a manhunt had been launched.
Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the three can contact Capt Nkosi on 082-303-9704.
