The escape of a murder suspect allegedly under police guard at Wentworth Hospital has raised questions about the effectiveness of security measures and oversight within the facility.

According to Southlands Sun, a 54-year-old woman charged with theft and a suspect in an ongoing murder investigation into the death of an 82-year-old Merebank grandmother escaped from the hospital in Durban South.

Arrest and charges

The suspect was arrested on April 3, allegedly after she was caught stealing cash and a purse from a house in Kasuali Road, Merebank.

According to police sources who cannot be named, she was later also linked to the murder of Indrawathy Rampersadh, who was strangled at her home in Merebank on March 30. Her body was found lying on the side of her bed in her bedroom.

According to a police report, the grim discovery was made by her grandson, who found a school tie fastened around her neck, leading detectives to suspect strangulation as the cause of death.

Hospital escape under scrutiny

Police sources confirmed that the suspect was taken to Wentworth Hospital under police guard. It remains unclear how she escaped from the facility despite being under police supervision.

The police have not yet disclosed the circumstances surrounding her escape, and Wentworth Hospital has also not provided any information.

Questions were sent to the hospital’s public relations officer, Thandeka Phiri; however, no response has been received.

Investigation underway

According to trusted sources, police are reportedly trying to determine whether negligence or procedural failure might have contributed to the incident.

A police source said the suspect was initially apprehended after being caught following a theft incident in Kasuali Road.

She was then taken into custody and formally charged before further investigations linked her to Rampersadh’s death.

Meanwhile, internal investigations are expected to look into the circumstances under which the suspect was allowed to escape from hospital custody.

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