SA Police still investigating Bongani Moyo's escape

Johannesburg - The investigation into alleged Zimbabwean bank robber Bongani Moyo's escape from the Pretoria Regional Court was continuing on Thursday, Gauteng police said.

"We are still investigating. There are no details yet," Captain Katlego Mogale said.

"We will give information as and when we get it."

Moyo, who has allegedly been linked to more than 30 bank robberies, escaped on Wednesday.

This was his second escape this year. In March, the 29-year-old escaped from Boksburg Prison.

He was on crutches at the time of his second escape and was not locked in a cell or wearing shackles, Mogale said on Wednesday. He had been sitting between courts 16 and 17 and escaped through Court 16.

The Democratic Alliance said the escape made a mockery of the police.

"Provincial Commissioner [Mzwandile] Petros, must now take appropriately serious disciplinary action against those responsible," DA safety and security spokesperson Kate Lorimer said in a statement.

Lorimer asked why Moyo was left unattended and who was responsible for him. She also asked why he was not handcuffed, taking into account his previous escape.

Lorimer said it had to be established if this was a case of someone not following orders or a case of protocols not being in place to deal with injured or ill prisoners.

She said it was embarrassing that police seemed not to understand the importance of ensuring that a criminal of Moyo's calibre should be securely escorted to court.