A DANGEROUS prisoner, charged with murder, robbery and rape, escaped from the Palmridge Magistrates Court, while in shackles, on March 7.
Four prisoners, all facing charges of murder, robbery and rape, appeared in court and were being led back to the holding cells when one of them escaped.
According to the police report, the four prisoners entered the police office and the most dangerous of the four, suspected of being the leader of the pack, suddenly drew a firearm and instructed the police officers to lie on the floor. He then took the office keys, locked the officers inside the office and fled the scene in a vehicle waiting outside.
An astonished Capt Vusi Mahlope told the RECORD that one big question came up: “How did the prisoner get access to a firearm while he was in court facing his numerous charges?”
According to Mahlope, it is believed that the firearm belongs to a warrant officer as CCTV footage filmed at the court showed that an interpreter entered the front entrance of the court building carrying a brown bag, without being searched or scanned by the security personnel.
“The brown bag was probably handed over to a warrant officer, as the footage showed him carrying the same bag into Court 9, where the accused appeared for murder, robbery and rape,” Mahlope said.
”It is, therefore, evident through CCTV footage that the interpreter and the warrant office could be responsible for making it possible for the prisoner to have access to a firearm while in court,” said Mahlope.
The police are investigating a case of robbery with a firearm, escaping from lawful custody and aiding a suspect to escape.
