The Swartruggens police have successfully re-arrested the last of the four detainees who escaped from the police holding cells earlier this month.
Thapelo William Molebatsi, also known as Makwete (25), had been on the run since Sunday, 8 December 2024, after escaping alongside three other detainees by forcing their way through the roof of the detention cell. Molebatsi was initially detained for theft.
On Monday, 30 December 2024, police received credible information about Molebatsi’s location. Acting on this tip, Swartruggens Detectives and Visible Policing members executed a targeted operation on Tuesday, 31 December 2024. This led to Molebatsi’s re-arrest at abandoned farmhouses in the Swartruggens area, where he had been hiding.
Molebatsi is now set to appear before the Swartruggens Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 02 January 2025, facing a charge of escaping from lawful custody.
The police thanked the public for their cooperation and support in providing information that aided in the successful re-arrest. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the escape continue.
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