Inmate cuts fence in escape bid

AN INMATE at Tswelopele Correctional Facility in Kimberley apparently tried to stage an escape by cutting a hole in the fence but was stopped before he managed to escape.

This follows after the resignation of the head of the correctional centre on May 31, with the escape attempt believed to have taken place the following day.

Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) provincial secretary, Boitumelo Pheleo, said that there had been friction between the head of the centre and the area commissioner.

The area commissioner, Joe Joseph, denied that there had been any attempted escape from prison.

“There is no such truth and such reporting is being viewed as malicious and unfounded,” said Joseph.

He explained that the damaged security fence was reported to him on June 2 after the hole in the security fence was spotted on the same day at around 1.30am. “Upon receipt of the incident report of this security breach, the area commissioner immediately instructed that a 9am until 5pm patrol shift be implemented with immediate effect, as being the case at Kimberley Correctional Centre, and the instruction was implemented.”

Joseph indicated that the Department of Correctional Services did not tag sentenced offenders who are incarcerated in a correctional centre.

He added that the head of the centre had resigned “voluntarily or better stated as ‘an ambitiously decision’, as stated in his resignation letter, dated April 30”.