Hearing clears another two prison officials over Yeko’s escape
TWO more Drakenstein Correctional Centre officials charged over the daring escape of convicted murderer Lwandile Yeko have been exonerated following a disciplinary hearing.
There was no evidence suggesting that Thozama Mneno had breached security measures, dereliction of duties and failure to conduct searches, the hearing chairperson found.
The hearing also cleared Zandile Dosi of charges which included prejudice to the administration, discipline or efficiency of department office, or institution of the state.
Initially, four officials, including Mneno and Dosi, faced the axe over Yeko’s escape in February last year.
Yeko, serving 25 years for murder, housebreaking and theft of a vehicle, made headlines when he escaped from his cell.
He used a hacksaw to saw through the bars of his cell’s window, leaving the officials puzzled about how he managed to get the saw.
Yeko was caught in Mbekweni, Paarl and handed a sixmonth jail sentence for the prison break.
A probe into how he accessed the hacksaw was established and the four officials were charged.
A document compiled by the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing into Mneno and Dosi, which the Cape Times has seen, said there were delays in the process.
The document said the changing of the chairperson and the initiator had played a role in the delay of the finalisation of the case.
“The employer was granted an opportunity to make the closing arguments by the chairperson, but instead the initiator accused the chairperson of being biased and said he is not going to allow the witnesses to continue with the case. The initiator continuously wanted to call the employee relations (ER) office of the institution, on refusal to do so by chairperson informing the initiator that will indirectly implicate the ER office on the decision of the case,” he said.
The initiator had indicated that he was going to request the regional office to appoint another chairperson, according to the document.
“The defence’s closing arguments were that the matter has been dragging for too long and the alleged transgressors do not know where their future is going, and the time frame in terms of the resolution 1 of 2006 has already lapsed.
“The people who were charged for the same offence were 15 officials, and 10 of them were dealt with informally and only five had to be charged formally, including Mr Mneno and Mr Dosi,” read the document.
The analysis of evidence supplied by the witnesses did not directly implicate Dosi and Mneno in Yeko’s escape, the hearing found.
“The initiator wanted to testify in the middle of the hearing, which could jeopardise the hearing. The opportunity was granted for the proceedings to adjourn to come up with a conclusion of the matter.
“The chairperson made a ruling of not guilty against both the alleged transgressors as they were not directly involved in the transgression committed on aiding the offender to escape and on charges laid against them. The matter was then declared closed,” read the document.
Vuyo Mamkeli, a Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union shop steward who represented the officials, said: “It was our position from the start of this hearing that Mneno and Dosi were not guilty of any wrongdoing because they performed their duties as expected.
“Head of centre at maximum centre where the offender escaped was not charged.
‘‘We are very happy that the chairperson found the two members not guilty after a year and six months.
“Only Mr Faltein was found guilty and dismissed by the employer. We appealed the verdict of dismissal and he was given a one-month suspended salary.
‘‘We have referred this matter to arbitration because Mr Faltein perform his duties as expected.”
Approached for comment, Correctional Services spokesperson Simphiwe Xako said the query was forwarded to their office in Drakenstein to respond.
No response was received before deadline.