MOPANI – Three of the four prisoners who escaped from the Hlanganani police cells last Saturday morning are behind bars again.

According to the police spokesperson in the area, Capt Moatshe Ngoepe, one police officer proceeded to the cell in which the prisoners were kept. The officer was going to collect the plates which the prisoners had used during breakfast. On arrival in the cell, the suspects allegedly attacked him and ultimately overpowered him. After overpowering him, they escaped.

According to the police statement, three of them were rearrested within 24 hours after escaping while the other one was still at large at the time of going to press. The trio who are in custody again are Ronny Nkuna (24), Khakhathi Munareng (25) and Letter Baloyi (24).

Nkuna and Baloyi were arrested for housebreaking while Munareng was kept in custody on charges of murder and attempted murder. The search for Navy Sambo (25) was still continuing at the time of going to press. Sambo was serving a three-month sentence for assault at the time of his escape. He was given the option to pay a fine of R1 000 when his sentence was passed, but Sambo could not raise the money. The police described him as a dangerous man and appealed to people not to try to apprehend him; in the event they meet him, they should inform the police instead. Those who were rearrested were still to appear in court for escaping from custody at the time of going to press.