Stutterheim court house escapee re-arrested

The suspect who escaped from the Stutterheim Magistrate's Court on Wednesday has been arrested.

Buzile Hlungwini, 27, ran out of the court house while being escorted back to  the holding cells.

Shortly before Hlungwini escaped, he had appeared in court for robbery and was remanded in custody.

Since the escape, police have been searching for him.

By 10.15pm on Thursday night, he had been re-arrested.

Police spokesperson Captain Siphokazi Mawisa said that he was caught after a person spotted him getting into a car.

Mawisa said that the information came to light after a tip-off that he was seen hiking from his village, Kwazidenge, towards Phakamisa in King William's Town.

“The police then waited for the vehicle where they spotted it.

"The suspect was in the back seat of the vehicle and they (the police) recognised him immediately,” Mawisa said.

Additional charges of escaping from custody will be added to Hlungwini's current charge of robbery.

King William's Town Cluster Commander Brigadier Luntu Ngubelanga commended the members for their swift action.