31 prisoners escape in KZN

31 prisoners escape in KZN

Police in KwaZulu-Natal have launched a manhunt for 23 awaiting trial prisoners who escaped from a transfer truck on Wednesday morning.

Crime scene breakfast
Crime scene/Pixabay

The truck was transporting the prisoners from Pietermaritzburg New Prison to the local magistrate's court when the group made a run for it.


KZN police spokesperson Jay Naicker says the two police officers were transporting 45 prisoners when the incident happened.


“This morning at 8:00 the two police officers were conveying prisoners from the PMB New Prison to the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate's Court when they were blocked off by a double cab bakkie with five heavily armed gunmen.



“The suspects pointed firearms at the police officers and forced open the rear of the truck. Thirty-one awaiting trial prisoners escaped out of the 45 that were in the truck.”

 

Naicker says 22 prisoners are back behind bars while 23 are still on the run.


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