Police rearrest four of five Limpopo escapees, only one to go

Earlier this month police in Polokwane launched a massive manhunt following the escape of five awaiting trial prisoners who escaped from custody on 14 November, reports the Bosveld Review.

The prisoners were being transported from Haenertsburg Police Station to Polokwane when they jumped from the back of a moving police van at the corner of Hospital and Landros Maree Street.

Police spokesperson Col Moatshe Ngoepe said one prisoner who was initially arrested for house robbery committed in the Haenertsburg Policing area was rearrested shortly after the escape.

The remaining four escapees, who were arrested for different crimes in the Haenertsburg policing precinct were still at large.

On Saturday, 17 November, the first of the four escapees, Abel Modiba (31) was rearrested in Rwanda Village, Nwamitwa, outside Tzaneen.

Two of the three remaining escapees, brothers Thomas Nkuna (34) and Jeffrey Nkuna (27), were rearrested by the Tzaneen Cluster Task Team after being spotted driving in the Lenyenye township by local residents.

Ngoepe said that, during the arrest, the vehicle they were using was found to be recently stolen in the Letsitele policing area.

Ngoepe said on Sunday the manhunt for the remaining escapee, George Nkuna (19) from Wisani village, outside Tzaneen, was still under way.

“A case of escaping from lawful custody was opened and the rearrested suspects will appear before the Polokwane Magistrate Court soon for escaping from lawful custody.”

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.