Prisoner gunned down during suspected daring escape in Mthatha

Drama ensued at the Mthatha High Court this afternoon after an awaiting trial prisoner was shot dead after he stabbed and seriously wounded a policeman.

The inmate is believed to have attempted to escape when he stabbed the warrant officer

Mthatha Cluster police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said the incident happened at about 3:45pm as seven awaiting trial prisoners were being loaded to a police van to be transported back to Wellington Prison after they had appeared in court for various alleged crimes.

“One of the awaiting trail prisoners attacked a policeman and stabbed him several times with a knife. The inmate was charging to another policeman when he was shot dead. The officer shot warning shots and ordered him to put down the knife but the inmate charged forward aggressively and was shot on the upper body and fatally wounded,” said Fatyela, adding that they were investigating how he got the knife.

Fatyela said the six other prisoners attempt to join in the daring attempted escape and sat and watched the drama unfold from the police van.

Fatyela said that the matter was reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to take over the investigation.

This is a second similar incident to happen at the Mthatha High Court this year where a police officers is stabbed and injured and prisoner shot dead. -