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Prison break: Lamola to visit Malmesbury prison where 69 inmates escaped

  • The minister of justice and correctional services Ronald Lamola will visit the Malmesbury Correctional Centre where 69 inmates escaped.
  • Six inmates remained at large after 63 were rearrested.
  • The group of inmates overpowered officials while taking exercise at the facility.

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola will visit the Malmesbury Correctional Centre in the Western Cape on Saturday after 69 prisoners escaped from the facility on Friday.

The group of inmates overpowered officials at around 12:15 while taking exercise, according to Western Cape regional commissioner Delekile Klaas.

The escapees overpowered officials, took their keys and locked three officials in a cell. The inmates then opened other cells before escaping through the main entrance and over the roof.

Nine officials were left with minor injuries and bruises. At the time, the centre had 451 offenders and 20 officials on duty.

On Friday, the Department of Correctional Services had rearrested 63 of the 69 awaiting trial prisoners.

Klaas declined to comment on whether any additional arrests had been made, and said Lamola would address this during his visit to the facility.

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