(MENAFN- The Post)
A sixth suspect who escaped from the Maseru Central prison has been captured.
Bokang Molengoane, who escaped with five others, was arrested by the South African police in Bloemfontein on Monday.
Molengoane's arrest ends the three-week manhunt that started on the morning of December 21 when it was discovered that the breakout happened.
Pheko Ntobane, the spokesperson of the Lesotho Correctional Service (LSC), said he was not sure when Molengoane will be brought back into the country because the extradition process is yet to start.
Molengoane, who is from Nazareth, was in remand prison for cable theft.
His accomplices include Rethabile Tlali, Seboka Motumi and Aumane Nkoale who are all murder suspects.
There is also Tumelo Mpopo, on remand for theft, and Bokang Tsoako who was in for housebreaking.
Tsoako was however allegedly beaten to death by the prison officers after his capture.
The LCS is yet to explain how Tsoako died.
Justice Minister Richard Ramoeletsi has sent his condolences to Tsoako's family and condemned those behind his death.
“We condemn these acts. We have just celebrated International Human Rights Day and soon after, this happens,” Ramoeletsi said.
Ramoeletsi said preliminary investigations have revealed that the fugitives used a metal pipe they smuggled into their cell to break the air vent through which they escaped.
They then scaled the fence and disappeared.
The prison authorities then searched the whole prison to find out if any of the remaining inmates had any prohibited objects.
Ramoeletsi said“commotion” started after some prisoners refused to be searched.
“Our investigations found out that some prisoners refused to be searched and there was a commotion that led to those prisoners being injured,” he said, adding that injured prisoners were taken to Queen Elizabeth II Hospital and Queen 'Mamohato Memorial Hospital.
The detained soldiers who got injured were later taken to the Makoanyane Military Hospital at the instruction of the army commander, Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela.
Ramoeletsi said the government is establishing an independent commission of inquiry to investigate both the allegations of torture and the breakout.
The minister's version of events has however been undermined by the testimonies of the nine soldiers who launched an urgent application to force the prison authorities to seek medical help. The soldiers' allegations of torture have been corroborated by pictures of the gory injuries they suffered.
The pictures show that the soldiers have bruises and cuts. Some have head injuries while at least one broke his leg.
Several prison officers have been named as the main perpetrators of the alleged torture. The Law Society of Lesotho has called for the prosecution of the warders and the dismissal of the LCS boss.
Nkheli Liphoto
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