JOHANNESBURG -Three awaiting trial prisoners escaped from Tubatse police holding cells on Monday, Limpopo police said.
''Today at about 6:30am police heard a hard knock at the cell doors and responded swiftly.They found that three prisoners had escaped through the roof of the exercise room,'' said spokesman Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.
The escape is one of many in recent months at Limpopo police stations experiencing a spike in awaiting trial prisoners escaping from holding cells.
In March last year, at least 13 prisoners escaped after cutting the mesh wire in an exercise room at police cells in Modimolle. In August, three awaiting trial prisoners used the same modus operandi and escaped from police holding cells in Tzaneen.
This was followed by a jailbreak at the Kutama Sinthumule maximum security prison in Louis Trichardt after a riot in October. Seven prisoners managed to escape before setting a section of the prison on fire.
Earlier this month, seven prisoners escaped from a police holding cell in Lebowakgomo, outside of Polokwane.
Ngoepe said the Tubatse prisoners had been nabbed for charges ranging from rape, murder, illegal possession of firearms and theft. Police investigations continue.