Cell 'walk-out' sparks probe
06/02/2007 21:18  - (SA)  

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Durban - Police are to conduct a high-level investigation into how a prisoner arrested for murder and armed robbery "simply walked out" of holding cells in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

Senior superintendent Phindile Radebe confirmed on Tuesday that the man who escaped was 23-year-old Sgidi Sphamandla Gasela.

Gasela was arrested on Saturday in connection with a shoot-out between robbers and security guards in Johannesburg last year, in which a 15-month-old baby was killed on her mother's back.

Radebe said a case of aiding and abetting had been opened.

Distributing photographs

"If it is found that any (police) member is involved, criminal and departmental steps will be implemented against them."

An intensive search for Gasela had begun and police were thinking of distributing photographs of the 23-year-old in the community to help catch him.

Radebe did not give details of the escape.

However, earlier on Tuesday police spokesperson superintendent Muzi Mngomezulu said: "He simply walked out." The escape was discovered in the early hours of Monday.

Mngomezulu said there were no signs that the prisoner had forced his way out of the cell.

The man was arrested at a petrol station in Greytown in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands on Saturday as he was about to leave for Johannesburg in a minibus taxi.

At the time of his arrest he supplied police with a false name. However, his family positively identified him.

He was allegedly involved in a shoot-out in October last year at the corner of Bree and Wanderers streets in central Johannesburg.

He allegedly was part of a gang - thought to be eight in number - that robbed two security guards as they collected money from a Charlie Parkers store.

As the gunmen took the money boxes, there was a shoot-out.

Seven people were wounded and Nkhensani Mitileni, who was strapped to her mother's back, was killed.

Suspect committed suicide

Her mother, 27-year-old Cynthia Mitileni, had just alighted from a taxi when the shooting began.

Four men - Fana Makhanya, Mozambican national Lawrence Alphonso, Bhekizwe Ndlovu and Muhle Mazibuko - already have appeared in court.

They face charges of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

A fifth suspect committed suicide last month while travelling with police to KwaZulu-Natal as part of an investigation.

- SAPA

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