The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and the management of the Mangaung Correctional Centre, G4S, have been accused of shielding convicted criminal and escapee, Chris Potgieter, who in 2022 escaped detention while being treated at a Free State hospital.
Potgieter, a robbery convict who escaped from Bloemfontein’s Universitas Hospital in December 2022 in the early hours, was reportedly re-arrested two days after his escape.
A source close to the situation told The Star that Potgieter was able to flee because prison officials failed to do their job, adding that to further hide their ineptitude, the matter was kept hidden to protect themselves from scrutiny
This was also confirmed by Glynnis Marriday, a manager at prisons rights organisation Exclusive Mediators, who added that this made it easy for the convict to make a dash for it.
“On realising that he was not being fully monitored, Potgieter took advantage of the situation and made a dash for it. Potgieter told me himself that prison officials were not fully monitoring him and this made it easy for him to escape, she said.
“Marriday also claimed that after a case was opened with the police, the matter only went to court once and revealed that a Nolle Prosecute certificate was issued to further shield G4S from scrutiny.
“After being re-arrested, a case was opened with the Koffiefontein SAPS, but sadly that case never got anywhere as the G4S management wanted to keep the matter under wraps. He was taken back to Mangaung and I am told the case only went to court once and it is now Nolle Prosecute.
“I am also told that Potgieter will be transferred to Lepelle prison in Kimberly. I am not sure if they are trying to get rid of him, but the prisoner himself phoned me to tell me that,” the source said.
According to a police report, the now 49-year-old Potgieter was sentenced for armed robbery in Kimberley in 2021 and was taken to hospital in Bloemfontein by a private security company for medical attention.
Following his escape from the hospital, a multi-disciplinary team of law enforcement agencies managed to re-arrest him.
“The 47-year-old Chris Potgieter, sentenced for armed robbery in Kimberley, was taken to hospital in Bloemfontein by a private security company for medical attention. While in hospital on 27 December 2022 at about 03:20, the convict escaped and the matter was reported to Mangaung police.
“Koffiefontein Rural Safety co-ordinator engaged her local farmers and in two days the suspect was located on the Luckhoff and Koffiefontein crossing looking for a hike. The off duty member mobilised one of her colleagues and the suspect was re-arrested.
“The suspect was handed over to Mangaung police and will be taken back to Kimberley prison where he will serve the remainder of his sentence. Circumstances that led to his escape are part of ongoing investigations,” said Northern Cape police spokesperson Sgt Mahlomola Kareli.
Responding to The Star and accusations that the matter is being kept under wraps, DCS spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, denied these accusations, saying: “The said inmate did escape from an outside hospital at the time, under the care of G4S. A case of escape was opened. As per the contract, an observation notice was issued by DCS against Bloemfontein Correctional Contracts. A fixed penalty was instituted by the Supervisory Committee.”
The Star