FIVE of the 20 men that escaped while in transit to prison on Tuesday have been caught.
Police, including Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula, spearheaded a manhunt for 20 men who escaped in a brazen escape ploy orchestrated by an unconfirmed number of men allegedly travelling in a Mercedes.
Read: BREAKING NEWS: Prisoners escape – 20 are on the run
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini confirmed to the COURIER that five of the men were in police custody.
“Simthembile Moni, Vincent Monwabisi Vandala, Rushden Katz, Sabelo Mbanjwa, Kingley Jooste have been arrested,” he said.
A photo of a sixth man was sent to the COURIER informing us that a sixth man was nabbed.
The photo is of Roland Barnard whose photo was among the 20 who escaped.
Fifteen of the pending trial prisoners are still on the run according to police, who still have to confirm Barnard’s arrest.
The prisoners escaped on Tuesday around 4pm when a police truck transporting the prisoners was ambushed en route to the Johannesburg Central prison at 3.30pm.
They were travelling to the Johannesburg Correctional Service Centre from the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court.
Their truck was ambushed on the Pat Mbatha Road near South Gate train station by a group of armed men.
The men who were armed with rifles broke the lock to the door and allowed the trial prisoners to escape.
“They [prisoners] were charged with various crimes including armed robbery, house break-in and theft as well as possession of drugs,” said Dlamini. He also informed the COURIER that the police officers transporting the men were not injured.
Investigations continue.
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