Africa-Press – South-Africa. The third of seven criminals who escaped from Makhanda’s Waainek Prison last Tuesday was arrested about 30km from the prison while begging for food in a close-knit farming community on Sunday.
Eastern Cape police confirmed a team tracing and tracking the escapees caught Trymore Chauke after receiving a tip-off that he had been asking the Seven Fountains District community for food.
Seven Fountains is about 30km south-east of Makhanda along the N2 to Gqeberha.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said police were urging communities to continue alerting them about any suspicious persons in their neighbourhoods so that the four remaining escapees could be rearrested.
Seven Fountains community leader and member of the community police forum Zola Mjadu said the community rounded up the man and called the police.
Mjadu added residents grew suspicious after seeing the stranger near Narrow Farm and immediately suspected he was one of the escapees.
“We quickly assembled a team of strong men and placed this man under citizen arrest. We then took pictures of him and sent them to the police to confirm if it was really him. After they positively identified him, we waited for an hour for police to arrive and take him away.”
Mjadu said Chauke was weak and did not even resist arrest:
He added this happened as the community was on high alert on Sunday after herd boys searching for calves had earlier reported seeing a stranger hiding in the bushes along a dirt road near Narrow Farm.
“The boys told their parents, and a meeting was called about a possible escapee hiding in the area. We selected a team of men to be on standby,” said Mjadu.
Chauke is the third of the seven suspects to be rearrested since the daring prison break last week.
The second to be caught was Simba Masinge, a convicted poacher who is due to be sentenced on 4 November.
He was rearrested by police and correctional services officers on Wednesday night while hiding in bushes between Makhanda and the Committees farming area.
He was caught a day after Bennet Kwarrile was rearrested in the Free State on Tuesday.
Kwarrile was apprehended after he was hit by a truck in Springfontein, Bloemfontein, and taken to hospital where he was identified as the fugitive.
Four escapees – Francis Chitho, Nhamo Muyambo, Abraham Moyane and Luvuyo September – are still at large.
Chauke, Chitho, Muyambo and Moyane and Masinge were found guilty of poaching rhino horns at top Eastern Cape game reserves 18 days before their daring escape.
Kwarrile was detained for housebreaking, theft, and attempted murder, while September was charged with murder, kidnapping and robbery.
It was believed they used hacksaw blades to cut through the window bars of cell seven, which contained 28 prisoners.
Eastern Cape police said the manhunt for the remaining escapees was continuing.
Members of the public have been warned not to try to apprehend the men as they are deemed dangerous.
Police have also urged anyone with information on the whereabouts of the escapees to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111 or the nearest police station.
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