CAPE TOWN - After thinking they were ’free’, the freedom of three prisoners who escaped from police custody en route to their correctional facility was cut short after they escaped.
The prisoners, aged between 27 and 30, escaped from custody along the N2 highway near Glentana as they were being transported from the Mossel Bay Magistrate’s Court en route to the George Correctional Facility on Monday at about 4.30pm.
On Tuesday, Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie told IOL that the three men appeared in court for serious offences such as murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated housebreaking with the intention to rob, theft out of a motor vehicle and assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.
He said the Great Brak River police had opened a case of escape from lawful custody against the men.
“Preliminary investigation indicates that the detainees opened a panel in the roof of the truck forcefully, disembarked from the vehicle through the roof and jumped off the moving vehicle near the Glentana bridge.
“Members immediately called for reinforcement from George and Mossel Bay with the activation of the Eden Cluster Crime Combating Team and other specialised units within SAPS, who were joined by neighbourhood and farm watch volunteers,” Pojie said.
He said a search was launched immediately and all parties involved managed to track, trace and rearrest the escapees within hours.
Technology also helped play a role in capturing the escapees.
“The success was due to the joint effort by all involved, including two private individuals who made their drones available to trace two of the escapees,” Pojie said.
The acting Eden Cluster commander, Brigadier Phumzile Cetyana, who led the search from the front, commended all those involved for their dedication in the apprehension of the escaped prisoners.
He specially thanked the drone operators whose contribution was vital in tracing two of the men who had escaped.