The prisoners were being transported to the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on 30 October. Captain Julia Claasen, spokesperson of the Gauteng Provincial Office said, “Four prisoners escaped just before the police truck entered the court yard.
“They broke the grill and left through the side window. The prisoners were attending court on various cases committed in Booysens, Hillbrow, Jeppe, and Sandringham.”
Claasen added that police officers were alerted by members of the public who saw them escaping.
One of the prisoners, Bongani Mhlanga, was meant to appear in court on a murder charge. He allegedly fatally stabbed a woman in June in Hillbrow. Another prisoner, Robert Manyisa, was arrested for house robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm in Roshnee, in the De Deur policing area.
A third prisoner, Bernado Antonion Ben, was arrested in Turffontein with four other suspects. He was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm and stolen goods, and was linked to a house robbery in Eikenhof. The fourth prisoner, Russel Makgoro (not pictured) was due to appear in court on charges of housebreaking and theft in Sandringham.
Anyone with information can contact the investigating officer Colonel Ingrid Simons on 082-300-0619 or anonymously forward information to Crime Stop 086-00-10111 or sms Primedia crimeline at 32211.
