SANDF Soldier Arrested for Involvement in Limpopo Prisoner Escape, Mzansi Wants Him Arrested for Treason

• An SANDF soldier has been implicated in the Limpopo prisoner escape that occurred on Monday, 13 March
• Provincial police arrested the soldier and an alleged accomplice for helping six inmates escape custody
• South Africans have called for the soldier to be charged with treason for engaging in criminal activity

LIMPOPO - A South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has been arrested for allegedly assisting with the escape of six inmates awaiting trial in Limpopo on Monday, 13 March.

The Limpopo tracking team and murder and robbery unit quickly arrested Kedibone Albert Langa on Tuesday, 14 March.

Police captured the SANDF soldier along with an alleged accomplice Thabani Sibanda for their involvement in a heavily armed attack on a police vehicle transporting the inmates.

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The coordinated attack resulted in the injury of a police officer and the escape of all six prisoners.

According to Limpopo Police Spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, the second suspect is believed to be the brother of one of the escaped inmates, Jacaranda FM.

SANDF soldier appeared in Louis Trichardt Magistrate's Court

The pair appeared in the Louis Trichardt Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, 16 March. They face a litany of charges, including aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit a crime, possession of unlawful firearms and ammunition, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, malicious damage to property and discharging of a firearm.

The escaped inmates Forward Shumba, Shingirai Nyandome, Brilliant Sibanda, Erick Sithole, Moses Zambara, and Alex Nkomo have managed to evade the police and are still at large, TimesLIVE reported.

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Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe has pleaded with any community members with information about the prison escapees to come forward and assist the police.

South Africans are angered by the SANDF's involvement in the Limpopo prisoners' escape

South Africans have called for the SANDF soldier to be dealt with.

Below are some comments:

Stanley Ntando Malobola Shabangu demanded:

"This one should be charged with treason."

Paseka Masoha complained:

"That’s so disgusting that even members of the South African Defence Force are now attacking police officers."

Muthelo Pfunzo bemoaned:

"Not our last line of defence doing this."

Ntando McCall said:

"SANDF members are supposed to be the most disciplined and incorruptible."

@unchangend added:

"Plain treason."

Zim man sentenced to 1-year imprisonment for identity theft after enjoying SANDF member’s salary and perks

In another story, Briefly News reported that the prison sentence of a Zimbabwean national using the identity documents of an SA National Defence Force member who defrauded the government left citizens outraged.

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Admirer Sibanda received Covid-19 temporary employee/employer relief scheme (Ters) money paid from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) for over a year. Using the stolen identity book of Betwel Juwele, Sibanda also received a salary and benefits during the national state of disaster.

UIF commissioner Teboho Maruping told TimesLIVE the fund did not pick up the identity fraud before the pay-outs were made since government departments do not contribute to UIF. He said Juwele appeared on the UIF system under a labour broker, which allowed the claim to be approved.

Source: Briefly News