IN PICS: Five prisoners escape from moving police van in Limpopo

Five trial-awaiting prisoners escaped while they were being transported from Haenertsburg police station near Tzaneen to Polokwane on Wednesday.

Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the five “allegedly jumped from the back of a moving police van in the city of Polokwane at corner Hospital and Landros Maree streets”.

“One prisoner, who was initially arrested for house robbery committed in the Haenertsburg Policing area, was re-arrested shortly after the escape. The remaining four escapees who were arrested for different crimes which they committed in the Haenertsburg Policing precinct are still at large,” he said.

Ngoepe said the escapees were identified as follows:

• Thomas Nkuna, 34, from Rwanda village in the Nwamitoa area outside Tzaneen and also staying in Wisani village in the Mhlaba-Cross area outside Tzaneen.

Picture: SAPS

• Jeffrey Nkuna, 27, from Rwanda village in the Nwamitoa area outside Tzaneen.

Picture: SAPS

• George Nkuna, 19, from Wisani village in the Mhlaba-Cross area outside Tzaneen.

Picture: SAPS

•  Abel Modiba, also known as ‘ABSA’, aged 31, from Motjeteng village near Lenyenye outside Tzaneen.

Picture: SAPS

“The case of escaping from lawful custody was opened in this regard. The police investigations into the circumstances of the escape are still continuing. The police appeal to anyone with information that can lead to the re-arrest of these escapees to contact the crime stop number 08 600 10111 or the crime line SMS 32211 or the nearest police station,” he said.

(Compiled by Batandwa Malingo)

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