North West police shot and wounded a reverend during a search for the man who escaped from Pretoria’s C-Max prison on the weekend.
Captain Elsabe Augoustides said on Thursday that the incident happened when police received information about the whereabouts of a man resembling Annanias Mathe (29), who escaped on Saturday from one of the most secure prisons in the country.
Reverend Motlotlo Rabotape, from the AME Church in Winterveldt, was allegedly spotted near a school at Madidi in Klipgat on Monday.
”An African male who fitted the description given by a member of the public — wearing a Bafana Bafana jersey and carrying a black leather bag allegedly filled with firearms — was spotted.
”When police apprehended the suspect, he ran away. The task team fired a warning shot and the escapee was arrested. It was discovered that he sustained a bullet wound to the left leg,” said Augoustides.
The man was then identified as Reverend Rabotape, who said he fled from police as they were driving in an unmarked vehicle, wearing plain clothes.
This led him to believe that the people confronting him could be people posing as police officials with the intention to harm him, said Augoustides.
Rabotape was taken to hospital and a case of attempted murder was opened.
Meanwhile, Mpumalanga police on Thursday morning thought that they had found Mathe after they arrested a man for possession of dagga at Komatipoort.
However the man, strongly resembling the Mozambican national, was without a particular identification mark, said national police spokesperson Director Sally de Beer.
It was by Thursday still unclear how Mathe managed to escape from the prison.
Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour said on Wednesday an agent from the National Intelligence Agency will head an investigation into the escape.
”This thing needs to be dealt with, we need a proper investigation,” he said before announcing that an NIA agent assisted by a colleague, two senior police officers and two correctional-services officials will investigate the escape.
”I’m just amazed how one can make it through all of that on one’s own without being seen,” Balfour said about security measures at the prison.
Mathe faced 51 charges, including murder, attempted murder, rape, hijacking and armed robbery.
He was detained at A6 section, which houses hardened criminals regarded as escape risks.
Initial reports said it appeared that the ”Houdini” stripped and covered his entire body with petroleum jelly to climb out of a window measuring 20cm by 60cm. — Sapa