Pretoria – Police in Mpumalanga have re-arrested 29-year-old Karabo Chiloane after he escaped from lawful custody at the holding cells inside the Emakhazeni magistrate’s court on Thursday last week.
“Information from crime intelligence of the police assisted SAPS members from Acornhoek to rearrest Karabo Chiloane, 29, on Monday 29 August 2022. Chiloane is said to have been in hiding at Boelang Trust in the RDP houses near Acornhoek,” said spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.
“According to the report, Chiloane was due to attend court on the day after being initially arrested in connection with murder which occurred at Machadodorp in November 2020, and he was also charged for various charges, including attempted murder, hijacking and business robbery which were carried out in Machadodorp as well.”
Police officers who were on duty indicated that inmates were reportedly being transported from the Middelburg Prison to attend court at Emakhazeni magistrate’s court at about 9.30am.
“When other inmates were being accompanied to the holding cell by the court orderlies, it is alleged that Chiloane somehow got inside a consultation room next to the holding cell without being noticed,” Mohlala said.
“Later, around 10.15am when the court orderlies went to fetch him so that he could appear in court, it was then realised that he had gone AWOL. A case of escape from lawful custody was immediately opened with an additional charge of aiding an inmate to escape.”
Police said a padlock from one of the burglar gates was also missing subsequent to the realisation of the escape.
Resources were immediately assembled in pursuit of Chiloane.
“The information gathered by the intelligence structure came in handy hence he was cornered (on Monday) at around 10am where he thought no one would find him,” Mohlala said.
Chiloane is expected to soon appear before the Emakhazeni magistrate's court facing the charge of escaping from lawful custody, as well as the initial charges laid against him.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his escape.
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