MEC slates prisoner escape

2003-11-14 19:15

Johannesburg - The Gauteng MEC for Safety and Liaison, Nomvula Mokonyane, on Friday reacted with outrage to the escape of seven prisoners from the Lyttelton police cells on Thursday.

Mokonyane said she viewed this in a serious light and called on the province's police management "to take drastic measures against the station commissioner for these escapes, because there was no leadership provided at the station.

"The standing orders and regulations were not followed, hence these escapes."

Mokonyane said the level of punishment against those found to have contributed in the escapes should be equal to the seriousness with which police killings were viewed.

Among the seven escapees are Warren Molele, 23, and John Mahlangu, 24, who were awaiting trial for the murder of police Inspector Marco Wahl at Fort Klapperkop in Pretoria earlier this year.

Prince Deko, 36, and Solly Shabamba, 28, are accused of hijacking presidential spokesperson Bheki Khumalo in Centurion a few months ago.

Hijacking charges had been laid against Ayanda Nxumalo, 23, and Xolile Jacobs, 24, while 20-year-old Emmanuel Mabasa was awaiting trial for alleged burglary.

A policeman was busy locking the cells at the Lyttelton police station for the night when he was attacked just after 22:00.

As he tried to pull the cell door closed, he was assaulted by the suspects who demanded his firearm.

They took his unloaded service pistol, tied him up, gagged him with a blanket and covered him with other blankets before pulling the door closed and running into the client services centre.

Then the seven held up the four police officials on duty, taking two of their service pistols, two magazines and the keys to one of the police officials' private vehicles before running away.

Late on Friday the escapees were still at large.

- SAPA