A Mpumalanga man thought to be the Mozambican national who escaped from Pretoria’s C-Max prison has turned out to be someone else, police said on Thursday.
”It is not the Annanias Mathe we are searching for,” national police spokesperson Director Sally de Beer said. ”A particular identification mark is missing on the arrested man.”
The man was arrested at Tonga township outside Komatipoort shortly before midnight on Wednesday.
Provincial police spokesperson Superintendent Mtsholi Bhembe said he had a ”very strong resemblance” to the escapee.
Police found matchboxes filled with dagga on him.
It was by Thursday still unclear how Mathe (29) had managed to escape on Saturday night from one of the most secure prisons in the country. Correctional Services Minister Ngconde Balfour said on Wednesday an agent from the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) would 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 would investigate the escape.
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 x 60cm.
”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. — Sapa