More than 100 dangerous awaiting-trial prisoners were erroneously released from Pollsmoor Prison in the Western Cape, the correctional services department confirmed.Murder, robbery, rape and arson suspects did not qualify for the government’s early release programme to bring down overcrowding in South Africa’s prisons. The government plans to release 11 000 awaiting-trial prisoners countrywide by Friday, but only those who were granted bail of R1 000 or less. Correctional services representative Russel Mamabolo said initial criteria sent out to prisons said only suspected rapists were not eligible for early release. However, this was later expanded to include other crimes. Most of the suspects released erroneously from Pollsmoor have been re-arrested.
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