Johannesburg - Months since two criminals escaped from police custody, investigators are calling on the public to assist in finding them.
The Hawks have offered a reward of R100 000 to anyone with information leading to the arrest of most-wanted suspect Thabiso Ledwaba, also known as Kagiso Linken, who escaped from the Palm Ridge court in March.
Ledwaba, Thabo Mohapi and Garland Holworthy were all found guilty last year of the kidnapping and murder of German supercar specialist Uwe Gemballa in 2010.
As the trio were meant to continue their sentencing proceedings, Ledwaba secured a firearm - allegedly with the help of a court orderly - held hostage a police officer and fled from the court.
According to Hawks spokesman Major Robert Netshiunda, Gemballa was proved to have links with Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir. It's understood the three men were allegedly hired by Krejcir to kill the supercar specialist.
However, Ledwaba faces several other criminal charges in other cases, namely murder, attempted murder, cash-in-transit robbery, possession of a firearm and escaping from lawful custody.
“The suspect is armed and very dangerous. Members of the public are urged not to confront him, but to contact the investigating officer, Lieutenant-Colonel GJA Serfontein, on 071 481 3394 or email [email protected],” said Netshiunda in a statement.
In another case, police are appealing to the public for information regarding the whereabouts of a man accused of murdering his daughter in 2009. The fugitive has been on the run since September after absconding bail at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court.
Shaun Bruckman was arrested in 2010 for the murder of the two-month-old infant, and had been appearing in court until he absconded last year.
Gauteng police said a warrant for his arrest had been issued by the court, and his case was at an “advanced stage” when he disappeared.
Police said investigating officer Bruce van der Schyff had been unsuccessful in finding Bruckman.
Asked why the police waited nearly nine months before appealing to the public, Gauteng police spokesman Lungelo Dlamini simply said the department had hoped to find him on their own, but had no luck.
In 2012, Bruckman pleaded guilty to a charge of culpable homicide. Media reports at the time said Bruckman told the court he had woken early to prepare a bottle for the baby, and when he stood up with the infant in his arms, he stumbled and tossed her on the mattress. He said the child hit a wall in the process, but he went back to sleep because he didn't see any injuries.
Bruckman was awoken by his former fiancée, also accused in the death, who said the child wasn’t breathing. She was declared dead at the hospital. It is believed Bruckman is still in the country.