Fourth suspect in Wynberg Magistrate's Court escape re-arrested

THE fourth suspect who escaped from the holding cells at Wynberg Magistrate's Court, Ismail George, has been re-arrested.

Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the last suspect in the Wynberg escape from lawful custody case was arrested on Sunday in Mitchell’s Plain. 

He was expected to appear in court on Monday.

The four accused face charges including illegal possession of firearms and housebreaking.

Twigg previously confirmed two of the four suspects, Linda Soyeza and Toufieq Damon, were re-arrested on October 23. Linda handed himself over to police, while Toufieq was arrested at a premises in Grassy Park.

“We can confirm that a third suspect Mphumeleli Lufutha was arrested in Samora Machel (on) Friday, October 24.”

According to a Daily Voice source, George previously escaped custody in Philippi.

The source said: “In 2023, he was arrested in Philippi and he also escaped from the cells in Philippi and that is the reason why they never gave him bail, because he was like a ‘runaway bride'."

Twigg added that there were initially six who had escaped and Wynberg police have registered an escape-from-lawful-custody case following the incident on October 20.

After the initial three arrests, DA MP and Parliamentary Select Committee member on Security and Justice Nicholas Gotsell said it was concerning that police had waited three days before releasing the suspects names.

“Wynberg is no ordinary precinct. It serves as a hub for multiple hotspot areas and handles some of Cape Town’s most serious gang-related and violent crime matters,” Gotsell added at the time.

Cape Times