Weapons in cells: jailbreak bid for Moyo?

Was slippery awaiting-trial prisoner Bongani Moyo trying to escape again? This is the question the authorities are pondering after weapons were found in the Pretoria cells of some of his closest associates.

Moyo, who escaped from Boksburg Prison in 2010, is due to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday in connection with an escape from the capital’s magistrate’s court in August where he appeared on armed robbery charges.

At the time of the courthouse escape, Moyo was appearing with co-accused, Kumbulani Sibanda, Leon Ncube and Thabani Sibanda on 13 charges, including robbery with aggravating circumstances and possession of unlicensed firearms.

It is alleged they were involved in more than 35 bank robberies.

He came into court on crutches and was not shackled. He was re-arrested in Hillbrow 18 days later.

While prison officials have denied Moyo was found with weapons, sources in New Lock Prison said Correctional Services reaction unit members found a homemade firearm and ammunition in his cell, along with a cellphone loaded with airtime.

The cells of Moyo, Sibanda and another awaiting-trial prisoner jail officials would only identify as Dube, were raided after a tip-off on Wednesday that the three were planning an escape.

Dube is awaiting trial for his alleged role in an armed robbery at a jewellery store in Montana.

The three are interned in New Lock Prison’s high security B-Section. They are seen as extremely dangerous and a high escape risk and are being held in single cells in a section of the prison known as “The Basement”.

In Wednesday’s raid, reaction unit members recovered surgical blades, hacksaw blades, a firearm made from plastic, a cell door key mould disguised as a cellphone and a half-complete plastic key.

Also found, Correctional Services sources said, were eight rounds of ammunition.

“These are the worst of the worst and now they have been found with this contraband. The only way they can get these items is (by) bribing warders,” said the source.

“It is a major security breach and from information obtained it is clear that they were planning an escape soon,” said the source.

Correctional Services spokes-man Phumlani Ximiya confirmed the finds, but denied any contraband had been found in Moyo’s cell.

“That is simply not correct. Your sources have it wrong,” he said.

Ximiya said the recoveries were made following a tip-off from other inmates to prison officials.

During the search prison officials recovered two surgical blades, two hacksaw blades, a key mould made from a cellphone card, an incomplete cell door key made from plastic and a firearm made from plastic, he said.

Ximiya said authorities afe investigating how the items had ended up inside the cells. “Anyone, including warders, found to have contributed to this, will be dealt with severely internally and criminally.”