Saw in book led to cell escape
27/03/2007 19:52  - (SA)  

Inmates cut through roof Inmates cut through roof 3 men saw through cell door 3 men saw through cell door 'Mathe's skills helped escape' 'Mathe's skills helped escape' 17 prisoners escape from cells 17 prisoners escape from cells Prisoners crawl to freedom Prisoners crawl to freedom Escapees grab cop's gun Eight prisoners on the run

Johannesburg - A 26-year-old woman has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment for helping five-awaiting trial prisoners escape from the Bela-Bela police cells, said Limpopo police on Tuesday.

Superintendent Malesela Ledwaba said Thoko Thembi Ndaba of Mamelodi in Pretoria sneaked a saw - hidden in a book - into the cells on February 2.

The saw was used by Johannes Hlongwane, 27, Michael Khumalo, 27, Johannes Mokgohloa, 28, Pitso Mokalapa, 32, and Johannes Malaya, 29, to cut through the bars of the holding cells, he said.

"The men, who were being held for charges ranging from housebreaking and theft to rape, then fled the police cells."

Ledwaba said three of the five men - Hlongwane, Khumalo and Mokgohloa - were re-arrested soon after the escape.

"Mokalapa and Malaya are still at large."

Visited boyfriend

Ndaba pleaded guilty when she appeared in Bela-Bela regional court and "confessed to sneaking in the iron saw... during a visit to the cells", said Ledwaba.

"She had gone to visit her boyfriend... who is among the five escapees and left the equipment used to cut the cell bars."

Ledwaba said police "hoped this sentence would serve as a deterrent to others who might think of helping their arrested friends or relatives".

 

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