Four police officers who were arrested on Friday in connection with the escape of alleged underground illegal mining kingpin and ringleader, James Neo Tshoaeli, infamously known as Tiger, have been granted R1 000 bail each.
This was confirmed by national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
“Four police officers have been arrested by the SAPS anti-corruption unit in connection with the release from lawful custody of James Neo ‘Tiger’ Tshoaeli,” said Mathe.
“The underground illegal mining kingpin resurfaced from shaft 11 in Stilfontein on January 15 but never made it to police holding cells.”
North West police commissioner Major-General Patrick Asaneng said the four police officers were arrested on Friday morning and appeared in the Stilfontein magistrate’s court.
Asaneng said the implicated cops are charged with defeating the ends of justice and aiding a prisoner to escape.
Their case returns to court on March 5.
Asaneng said the accused have been withdrawn from the Operation Vala Umgodi.
According to him, they are SAPS members who were deployed from somewhere else and are not members of the North West police.
Manhunt for Tiger underway
Asaneng said police are still on a manhunt for the illegal mining kingpin, adding that the police are investigating all officers who were on duty the day he escaped.
Asaneng said since Tshoaeli is a Lesotho national, police have a suspicion that he is back in his country of origin.
The SAPS, according to Asaneng, are engaging with the Lesotho government about the whereabouts of Tshoaeli.
Tshoaeli was rescued from shaft 11 of the disused Buffelsfontein gold mine in Stilfontein, North West, on January 15, during the government’s extraction operation of illegal miners holed underground.
Asaneng said Tshoaeli is being fingered in several statements as one of the ring leaders who controlled operations underground.
Some illegal miners who have resurfaced underground are also accusing him of being responsible for some deaths, assaults, and torture that are purported to have occurred based on videos that the police have.
He is also alleged to have hoarded and kept food away from other illegal miners.
