LIMPOPO – Two on-trial prisoners were killed at the Thohoyandou High Court on Tuesday, 6 August, during a confrontation with officials in an attempt to escape.
Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe says the two male prisoners, who had just appeared in court, were being escorted from the holding cells when they overpowered one of the guards trying to take his R5 rifle.
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During the scuffle, several shots were fired and the two prisoners were shot dead.
“The deceased were facing more than 90 charges, ranging from murder, armed robbery, business robbery to cash-in-transit heist. They were already on trial for these serious crimes. Investigations into the circumstances of the shooting have already begun and have been taken over by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID),” he concluded.
