Johannesburg - Two Johannesburg Prison warders have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the escape of 16 prisoners last week.
Gauteng police spokesperson Colonel Lungelo Dlamini on Thursday night confirmed the arrests, saying more details would be released on Friday morning.
“Two prison warders were arrested. I do not have their ages or any further details. They were arrested this afternoon and will appear in court tomorrow,” Dlamini said.
Pictures of the two officials in uniform with their hands cuffed emerged on social media last night.
Dlamini said the two were arrested in connection with what could be the country’s most brazen and biggest jailbreak in history.
ALSO READ: How 16 prisoners escaped from Sun City
The 16 awaiting-trial prisoners escaped through a pipe shaft and broke through a wall in the Medium B section at the prison, also known as Sun City, on April 9.
At least seven of the prisoners were up for murder.
Insiders said at the time that a calculated inside job was suspected.
Earlier, acting National Commissioner for Corrections Mandla Mkabela briefed Parliament's portfolio committee on justice and correctional services and said 10 escapees remained at large while four have been rearrested.
Two of the inmates were shot and killed in a shootout with police in KwaZulu-Natal.
Department of Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said the department has been cooperating with police in their investigation.
“We have been clear from the start that we want to get to the bottom of this,” Nxumalo said, adding that an internal investigation was still underway.
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