Police in Westenburg have instituted a search operation for three Zimbabwean armed robbers and a South African man who fled police custody on Wednesday evening.
The four escaped while being transported from Polokwane Central Correctional facility to Mokopane in Limpopo province ahead of sentencing for armed robbery on Friday.
The names of the four were given as: John Fine (39), Dennis Hove (39), Clifford Matonhori (31) all Zimbabweans, and Figos Madisha (40) a South African who escaped with a police service pistol.
Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said “… they managed to escape from a police motor vehicle along the R101 road next to Eerstegoud Trading Store around 11:30 pm.”
Seven prisoners were being transported from Polokwane Correctional Centre to Mokopane for sentencing when four of them allegedly escaped.”
“The prisoners also managed to grab a service pistol belonging to a police officer during the incident before fleeing into the nearby bushes. The other three prisoners remained in the vehicle.”
He added that the suspects had earlier been arrested and convicted for robbery with aggravating circumstances which they committed in April 2019 in the Mokopane policing area.
Brig Mojapelo warned members of the community against approaching the suspects whom he said were considered dangerous.
He urges anyone with information that may assist the police to find the four prisoners to contact Westenburg Detective-Commander Captain Tshikudo on 0027825658566 or crime stop number 0027860010111 or the nearest Police Station.