Prisoner poses as attorney, walks out of cell

businessman_briefcase_walking
businessman_briefcase_walking
By BONGANI FUZILE and SIYA BOYA

Police are searching for a dangerous fugitive who escaped from police custody by pretending to be an attorney.

Mlondolozi Mpayipheli walked calmly out of the holding cells at the East London Magistrate’s Court last Monday, dressed in a smart suit.

A source in the magistrate’s complex said: “Someone pretended to be a police officer with a fake letter and a fake signature of a retired magistrate and gave this to prison officials, who then released him to attend a false trial at the East London court.”

The daring escape happened before Mpayipheli was about to appear in court for one of his criminal cases. He pretended to be a lawyer representing an arrested suspect and simply went through a gate without being noticed.

East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said yesterday police were still searching for Mpayipheli.

A police source at the East London Magistrate’s Court told the Dispatch that Mpayipheli arrived from East London Prison on Monday, but when it was time to enter the court he was nowhere to be seen. “There was a requisition form for him to come to court from prison. He has cases in Butterworth and Cape Town. He is involved in many robbery cases.”

Apparently this is the third time he had been taken to court from prison but failed to appear.

“A retired magistrate’s signature was forged in the requisition form for him to come to the court,” said the source.

A source at East London Prison said: “The inmate was incarcerated in Medium B . He escaped from Butterworth correctional centre in 2013 and was transferred to…Medium B.”

Mqala said no case had been opened against anyone in connection with Mpayipheli’s escape.

Eastern Cape Correctional Services spokesman Zama Feni said Medium B inmates were mostly awaiting trial prisoners and transfers to court were taken care of by police. — bonganif@dispatch.co.za/ siyab@dispatch.co.za

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