MOPANI – The police in the Mopani area have rearrested 21 of the 24 awaiting-trial prisoners who escaped from six police stations in the area during the past three months. According to the spokesperson of the police in the area, Capt Moatshe Ngoepe, the rearrested prisoners were kept in the cells on charges ranging from rape, armed robbery, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to housebreaking and theft.

Ten of them escaped from the Modjadjiskloof (Duivelskloof) police station and are all behind the bars again. All four prisoners who escaped from the Phalaborwa police station have also been rearrested. Two of the three who found their way out of the Ritavi police station are in the cells again.

Three of them escaped from the Acornhoek police station and two of them have been rearrested. Three of the recaptured prisoners had escaped from the Bolobedu police station. Only one of the two who managed to escape from the Giyani police station was behind the bars at the time of going to press, while the other one was still at large.

The last prisoner to be rearrested was Thomas Malatjie (21) of Giyani. He was arrested on Monday afternoon. According to the police statement, Malatjie was hiding somewhere in the Gauteng Province at the time of his arrest.

One of the three dangerous prisoners who are still at large is Madala Chabalala (26) of Giyani. Madala escaped from the Giyani magistrate’s court’s premises shortly after he was sentenced to seven years in prison for theft of motor vehicle, three weeks ago.

The police have appealed to people who come across the wanted criminals not to try to apprehend them; instead, they should contact the nearest police station. They again thanked the members of the public for the information that led to the recapturing of the 21 escaped prisoners.