A number of awaiting-trial prisoners, possibly ten or more, escaped from the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, police said.
Police spokesperson Captain Piletji Sebola said the escapees made off with an official name list, leaving police and Correctional Services unable to determine who, and how many, had escaped.
The escape occurred as the prisoners were being off-loaded from a truck within the court compound just before noon.
”Only four prisoners remained. The rest escaped,” Sebola said.
He said a manhunt has been launched but that no arrests have been made.
Sebola said an internal and departmental investigation has also been initiated.
”The identity of the escapees, as well as their corresponding cases and charges, will be known once the preliminary investigation is concluded in consultation with the Department of Correctional Services,” he said.
The escape followed only hours after Democratic Alliance MP Roy Jankielsohn pledged to challenge Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula in Parliament to explain why so many suspects are able to escape from police custody.
Nqakula needs to account for the high number of escapes from police custody, Jankielsohn said.
A total of 3 260 suspects escaped from police custody between April 2002 and March 2003, an average of 272 per month.
Only 1 130, or 36%, were re-arrested. Police press releases indicate that another 229 suspects escaped between January and June 2004, he said.
”It is the duty of minister Nqakula and his department to protect ordinary South Africans against criminals and to ensure that arrested suspects do not escape from police custody.” — Sapa