PRETORIA – Wanted Rooigrond escapee Edward Khomotso Madiba has been rearrested.
According to Correctional Services, Madiba was rearrested 72 hours after escaping from the Rooigrond Maximum Security Correctional Centre near Mahikeng. He is now being held at the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility.
Madiba escaped from the prison on 6 September while serving a 20-year sentence for robbery, possession of a firearm and ammunition, kidnapping and parole violations.
Correctional Services national commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale said Madiba was captured within 72 hours, in line with the department’s standing order to apprehend escapees as quickly as possible.
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“This is a standing order in the department that when we have an escape, within the first 72 hours, we apprehend,” Thobakgale said.
The commissioner said preliminary internal investigations had found that Madiba was assisted in his escape.
“We can confirm that this offender was assisted to escape. The investigations are continuing and we will get facts that will further demonstrate this,” he said.
He said investigators had found several decoy items at the scene, apparently intended to create the impression that Madiba had escaped through that route.
“The scene has a number of decoy items, but what we have uncovered is that those decoy items were put there to create a picture that this offender went through those decoy items,” Thobakgale added.
Eight officials have since been served with notices of possible suspension pending the outcome of investigations into the escape.