Law enforcement officials in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, have increased efforts to track down at least 16 fugitives who pulled off a brazen prison escape and are still at large.
A Department of Correctional Services truck carrying 31 alleged offenders was accosted by an unknown group of armed men at a bridge near Edendale and Devonshire Road, on Wednesday morning.
It’s believed the AK47-wielding suspects were there to release one prisoner but 30 others saw an opportunity to break free. Since then, 15 fugitives have been recaptured and sent back to New Prison.
Pietermaritzburg prison break: Fugitive mugshots released
The remaining 16 prison escapees have had two days to pull further away from the clutches of Pietermaritzburg law enforcement. To curtail their efforts to evade capture, police have released mugshots of the suspects still at large, along with information on what they were in for.
The 15 fugitives police are in search for are:
- Siphelele Chamane (28) – Murder
- Mbukiseni Ndlovu (38) – Murder
- Mpho Phalo (31) – Murder
- Mphali Khanyiso Kou (30) – Murder
- Thubelihle Dlomo (19) – Murder
- Sphelele Ntsuntsu Mkhize (35) – Robbery/Rape
- Kabelo Mtisilwane (27) – Robbery
- Wiseman Shezi (26) – Robbery
- Talent Mncube (19) – Assault GBH
- Mlungisi Caster Ndlovu (25) – Theft
- Skhumbuzo Ngcobo (36) – Theft of Motor Vehicle
- Sbonelo Bhengu (31) – Malicious Damage to Property
- Fonane Paulo Pone (31) – Immigration Act
- Frank Lutchman (23) – Immigration Act
- George Paul (29) – Immigration Act
- Mlungisi Mncwabe (43) – Attempted Murder
“Specialised multidisciplinary teams have been assembled to hunt down those that are on the run. These teams will work incessantly until they arrest those that they were tasked to hunt down. No effort is being spared as the teams have been bolstered with the necessary resources and expertise to full fill their mission,” police spokesperson Brigadier Jay Naicker said.
At this time, all possible leads are being followed to ascertain how the grand prison escape was pulled off. Provincial top-cop Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is not ruling out a possible inside job.
“Whilst our efforts are focussed on hunting down these escapees, the escaping is being investigated from a criminal perspective and from an internal standpoint,” he said.