No fewer than 31 prisoners are on the run after a prison truck transporting them to court was hijacked by heavily armed gunmen in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, South Africa on Wednesday morning, April 28.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson, Brigadier Jay Naicker, who confirmed the incident said that at around 8am, two police officers were transporting prisoners from the PMB New Prison to the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court when they were blocked off by a double cab bakkie with 5 “heavily armed” gunmen.
“The suspects pointed firearms at the police officers and forced open the rear of the truck. 31 awaiting trial prisoners escaped out of the 45 that were in the truck. A manhunt is under way for the escapees,” Naicker stated.
In a voice note being circulated on WhatsApp, residents were urged to be vigilant and keep their houses locked as the prisoners would be looking for new clothes.