Two alleged hijackers arrested in November after locking two police officers in the back of their patrol van escaped from the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court, north of Pretoria, on Wednesday.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Noxolo Kweza said Bafana Ngwenya (34) and Khulani Zungu (29), made their break between 14:00 and 15:00 after appearing in court for formal bail application.
“After the court proceedings finished, the suspects were held in the holding area between courts 7 and 8. It is suspected that they escaped through court 8 after forcing open the steel mesh door,” Kweza said.
She said it was only established that they had escaped custody when the prisoners were about to be escorted to Modderbee prison in Benoni at 16:00.
“Police have opened a case of aiding and abetting prisoners to escape,” Kweza said.
Last month, two police officers were approached by four people while having lunch at a food outlet in Rabie Ridge, Johannesburg. The men pointed a firearm at the officers, disarmed them and locked them in the back of their patrol vehicle. They then hijacked a vehicle and fled with the officers’ firearms.
Two of them have since been arrested and charged with hijacking and being in the possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Gauteng Police Commissioner Lt General Lesetja Mothiba said no stone would be left unturned in establishing what led to the escape. “If there are any indications of negligence on the side of our members, they will be charged,” he said.
“We invested time and effort in arresting these very dangerous criminals and now they are in the streets. I assure the public that we will do everything to ensure that we find them and add a charge of escaping from lawful custody.”
Anyone with information on the matter could call the police on 08600-10111 or SMS crime line on 32211.
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