4th Swartruggens Jail Escape Suspect Arrested, Found at Abandoned Farmhouses After Weeks on the Run
- All the suspects who escaped from the Swartruggens police station cells in the North West are back in jail
- Four men, who had been arrested for various crimes, escaped after exiting through the roof of the holding cells
- Maj-Gen Patrick Asaneng applauded the suspects' rearrests after making a break for it on 8 December 2024
Source: Original
SWARTRUGGENS — The final Swartruggens police station escape suspect is back in custody after over three weeks on the run.
Thapelo Molebatsi disappeared from the police station holding cells after he and three others forced their way through the roof on Sunday, 8 December 2024.
Swartruggens escapees back behind bars
He was recaptured at abandoned Swartruggens farmhouses on Tuesday, 31 December. After the detainees' initial escape, police traced and rearrested one of the men on the N4 route the same day as he tried to hike.
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North West police recaptured a second escapee, Mpho Vincent Madito, on 10 December during a following manhunt and Johannes Mfaladi a day later.
At the time of their escapes, Madito, 29, was in custody for four alleged rapes reported in Swartuggens and Makgobistad.
Police had arrested Mfaladi, 28, for assault with intent to commit grievous bodily harm (GBH) in Swartruggens.
They appeared in the Swartruggens Magistrate's Court on 12 and 13 December, respectively, on additional charges of escape from lawful custody.
The court added a further charge to Madito for possessing suspected stolen property during his rearrest
The hunt continued for Thapelo Mogwele Molebatsi, who was facing a charge for allegedly committing theft in Swartruggens.
Police spokesperson Lt-Col Sam Tselenyane said information was received about Molebatsi's possible whereabouts following a request for the public's assistance in locating him.
"On Tuesday, 31 December, Swartruggens detectives and Visible Policing members operationalised the information. He was re-arrested, having been found hiding at [abandoned] Swartruggens farmhouses," he said.
Molebatsi appeared in court on Thursday, 2 January 2025.
Acting Provincial Commissioner Maj-Gen Patrick Asaneng applauded the rearrests of the suspects, urging that they be brought to book.
Notorious Zimbabwean criminal nabbed
In related news, Briefly News reported that a notorious Zimbabwean fugitive, on the run after escaping from lawful custody, is back behind bars in Limpopo.
Lovemore Musoyi was wanted for nearly a dozen serious crimes in Elandskraal, Motetema, Dennilton and Rakgoadi in the Sekhukhune District.
These included murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, assault, stock theft, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, armed robbery and house and business break-ins, as well as escaping from lawful custody.
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Source: Briefly News
