Cops praised for rearrests

DEPARTMENT of Correctional Services provincial commissioner Delekile Klaas has praised officials for working around the clock to rearrest six inmates who escaped from Pollsmoor Prison.

Klaas also commended members of the public for their help.

The six men, Mirvan Witbooi, Emile Lindinders, Courtline Oliver, Siphenathi Ntantiso, Curtley None and Gershwin Mol escaped from the prison’s B5 section at about 11pm on Sunday after bending the bars of their cell with a metal part of a broken bed, and jumping a fence.

The men are serving sentences for attempted murder, house-breaking and rape, and are aged between 21 and 25. Five of them were arrested on Monday and the sixth, Ntantiso, was found in Philippi yesterday.

The escape is being probed. Klaas said the recently-installed fence the escapees jumped over was not electrified.

There was one guard for all the 126 inmates in B5 section.