A Qalakabusha prison escapee died on Friday morning after a shoot-out with law enforcement officials, KwaZulu-Natal police said.
Police spokesperson Captain Jabulani Mdletshe said the incident took place at 2am in Mtubatuba.
Xolani Ngobese and nine other convicted criminals escaped from the prison in northern KwaZulu-Natal on August 4 this year.
”Police received information that Ngobese was at a homestead at Mfekayi in Mtubatuba,” said Mdletshe.
Apparently Ngobese had been seen in the area and slept at a friend’s house at night to hide from the police.
Hluhluwe police officers and Correctional Services Department members visited the area on Friday.
”On their arrival at the homestead, they announced their presence and requested that the occupants of the house come out,” Mdletshe said.
Police then threw a tear gas canister into the house.
”Ngobese apparently came out through a window, armed with a 9mm pistol. He started shooting,” Mdletshe said.
His friend also came out of the house and began shooting. He was shot in the leg.
”Ngobese ran and got hooked on a fence, but continued shooting. He managed to free himself and fled into a gum-tree plantation,” said Mdletshe.
Police found him dead in the plantation.
A pistol and an army knife were found in his possession.
Mdletshe said seven of the criminals Ngobese escaped with had been re-arrested.
Two were still at large, he said. – Sapa