The police in the Far North expressed their satisfaction this week, after seven of the eight awaiting-trial prisoners who escaped two weeks ago, are back behind bars. The men escaped from the Duivelskloof police cells and initially scattered in all directions.

According to the spokesperson of the police in the Mopani Area, Capt Moatshe Ngoepe, the men escaped from police custody on April 10, at about 21:00.

He said that the police were busy transferring the prisoners from one cell to another when they escaped. There was a breakdown in electricity in the area during the process and realising that it was dark within the premises, the prisoners moved to the exit and escaped.

The search for the eight prisoners started immediately after the incident. According to the statement, concerned residents started to feed the police information relating to the escaped prisoners the following day. That led to the prisoners' being arrested one after the other.

The seven prisoners who are behind the bars again are Walter Monamela (19) who was arrested for housebreaking and theft, Patrick Phoshoko (18) (housebreaking), Mathule Makhone (18) (theft), Mohale Lebepe (18) (rape), Lodwick Mabunda (19) (GBH), Stamina Maake (18) (rape) and Matome Machete (18), who was arrested for rape as well.

The only prisoner who was still at large at the time of going to the press was Thomas Malatjie (23) of Mahlabaneng village. The police have appealed to people not to apprehend him if they meet him; they should notify the police instead.