Prisoner grabs warder's gun
2004-01-13 16:57
Zenzele Kuhlase
Thabamoopo - Pandemonium broke out at a sexual offences court when a suspected rapist grabbed a prison warder's gun and tried to kill her.
Fortunately, the gun wasn't loaded, but prosecutor Jerry Mahlo wasn't going to take chances and leapt from the floor right over the magistrates rostrum.
"All I saw was his cloak flying," said spokesperson for the Thabamoopo sexual offences court, Kholofelo Mabila, on Tuesday.
She had to dive for cover under a table, while members of the public gallery also made a scramble for their lives.
The suspect, Philemon Mohlala, 20, was to appear on double rapes charges on Monday when he allegedly grabbed a female warder's service pistol from her hip and aimed it at her head.
"He pulled the trigger twice, but there wasn't a magazine in the gun," said Mabila.
"If it was loaded, many people would have been hurt.
"Mohlala was overpowered and disarmed before being put in the dock under heavy guard.
He was not asked to plead on rape charges and the case was remanded to March 29.
After his appearance, he was taken to the Lebowakgomo police station to be kept in custody and charged for the incident at the court.
He is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in January last year and, when the case was provisionally withdrawn because the docket went missing, raping another 14-year-old girl last August.
- African Eye