Mzansi was abuzz with apprehension as another prisoner Sandile Mantsoe was alleged to have escaped from prison. Social media platforms erupted with speculation and concern, with many fearing a repeat of Thabo Bester’s dramatic escape that had captured the nation’s attention not long ago.
Another Thabo Bester Prison Escape?
Sandile Mantsoe, convicted of the brutal murder of Karabo Mokoena, found himself at the centre of controversy once again as rumours of his escape from prison spread like wildfire on social media.
Also Read: G4S prison worker implicated in Thabo Bester escape granted R10 000 bail
Mzansi Sounds Alarm as Sandile Mantsoe Is Rumoured To Have Escaped from Prison
Residents of Braamfontein, a bustling neighbourhood in Johannesburg, were taken aback as reports began to circulate of a mysterious figure resembling Sandile Mantsoe. Mantsoe was sentenced to an effective 32 years in jail for the heinous murder of 22-year-old Karabo Mokoena. He was found guilty of taking Mokoena’s life and attempting to destroy evidence by burning her body.
Mantsoe’s notoriety extended beyond his murder conviction. He had also faced charges of defrauding government employees of at least R2 million by promising them high returns on their investments. As news of his alleged escape surfaced, many on Twitter drew parallels between Mantsoe’s situation and that of Thabo Bester, a South African criminal who managed to evade authorities for almost a year after faking his death in a prison cell fire in May 2022. Bester’s capture in Arusha, Tanzania, in April 2023 had garnered significant media attention.
Check out some of the reactions:
@Allumi;
i think i saw karabo mokoena’s murderer, sandile mantsoe, in braam today
@AdvoBarryRoux;
The word on the street is that Sandile Mantsoe might have pulled a Thabo Bester. & walked out of prison.
@makheswa;
Whose relative works at the prison where Sandile Mantsoe (Karabo Mokoena’s murderer) is supposedly serving 32 year sentence at? I wanna see something. We might have ALLEGEDLY another Thabo Bester in our midst.
Also Read: Caught on Camera: Nandipha and Thabo Bester’s Porsche Getaway Shatters Abduction Claims
Correctional Services Department Sets the Record Straight
Amidst the social media frenzy, Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson for the correctional services department, moved swiftly to dispel the rumours. Nxumalo confirmed to News24 that Sandile Mantsoe was indeed behind bars, serving his sentence at Standerton Prison in Mpumalanga.
Mzansi Sounds Alarm as Sandile Mantsoe Is Rumoured To Have Escaped from Prison (Image Credit: East Coast Radio)Sandile is in prison,” Nxumalo stated unequivocally, countering the claims that had caused panic among some residents of Johannesburg. He further cautioned against spreading misinformation, emphasizing the importance of dismissing baseless rumours to prevent them from gaining undue credibility.
“It has to be dismissed as misinformation,” Nxumalo urged the public, emphasizing the need for accuracy and restraint in disseminating news.
