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Top brass to probe C-Max escape
22/11/2006 20:52 - (SA)
Pretoria - An agent from the national intelligence agency will head an investigating team into the weekend's escape from Pretoria's C-Max prison, said Correctional Services Minister Ncgonde Balfour on Wednesday.
He was back at what is considered one of South Africa's most-secure prisons, from where awaiting-trial prisoner Annanias Mathe escaped on Saturday night.
"This thing needs to be dealt with, we need a proper investigation," he said before announcing that an NIA agent assisted by a colleague, two senior police officers and two correctional services officials would investigate the escape.
Mathe, a Mozambican national, faced 51 charges, including murder, attempted murder, rape, hijacking and armed robbery.
<>He was detained in A6 section, which houses hardened criminals regarded as escape risks.
"I'm just amazed how one can make it through all of that on one's own without being seen," Balfour said about security measures at the prison.
Help from inside?
Initial reports said it appeared that the "Houdini" stripped and covered his entire body with petroleum jelly to climb out of a window measuring 20cm x 60cm.
The investigators would look into the possibility that Mathe had help from the inside.
As part of the investigation they would interview inmates at C-Max as well as correctional service officials.
Balfour said: "I have given them the right to use polygraph testing."
The team was due to compile an interim report which would be handed to Balfour on December 4.
They were expected to make recommendations, also, on how escapes could be prevented in future.
A full report was expected by the end of January, but Balfour said he hoped it would be completed before the end of December.
He also hoped the Mathe would have been re-arrested by then.
- SAPA
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