Latest news with #MphoMkhumbeni
Eyewitness News
25-04-2025
- Eyewitness News
Legal battle for state to take control over Mangaung Correctional Centre continues
JOHANNESBURG - The legal battle for the state to take control over the controversial Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein 2023, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) attempted to terminate its contract with the British-run security provider G4S after murder and rape convict, Thabo Bester, escaped from the facility in 2022. ALSO READ:- 4 murder-accused wardens from Mangaung Prison to apply for bail - DCS probing gross misconduct at Mangaung prison following inmate's murder - DCS tells MPs it's ready to take over running of Mangaung Prison G4S countered these attempts by taking the government to court in a case that's yet to be prison faces fresh scrutiny following the arrest of four officials this week for the murder of an dark clouds hang over Mangaung Correctional Centre outside Bloemfontein, it casts a shadow over the future of the privately run facility.G4S, a British-owned security provider, has been managing Mangaung Correctional Centre for 25 years, with its contract set to expire in June DCS has been trying to end its contract with G4S through a two-year High Court legal battle, it seems G4S is likely to see its contract is despite the prison once again making headlines following the murder of an inmate in March and attempts to cover up their prison officials, including three senior managers and four junior wardens, were suspended last week for the murder of Mpho Mkhumbeni, who died in March, after he and his cellmates were severely beaten and pepper-sprayed following a raid at their cell. On Tuesday, police arrested the four junior wardens who will appear in the Bloemfontein Magistrates Court on Friday for bail application.
News24
24-04-2025
- News24
Four Free State warders arrested in connection with inmate's death
Four prison warders were arrested at the Mangaung Correctional Facility on Tuesday evening. Their arrests follow the death of an inmate at the facility. The inmate's death was initially reported as due to natural causes. Four prison warders have been arrested in connection with the death of an inmate at a Free State correctional facility. "On Wednesday, 12 March, police were notified of the death of 37-year-old Mpho Mkhumbeni, an inmate at Mangaung Correctional Facility in Bloemfontein. At the time, the death was believed to be due to natural causes, and an inquest docket was opened for further investigations," police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said. However, post-mortem results indicated that Mkhumbeni had not died of natural causes. "These findings led investigators to change the inquest docket to a murder investigation. Further investigations by the Bloemspruit police on the evening of Tuesday, 22 April, resulted in the arrest of four warders, aged between 34 and 50, for the alleged murder of the inmate," Makhele added. Makhele said the investigation was ongoing. #sapsFS #SAPS Bloemspruit has on 22/04 arrested four prison warders in connection with the death of an Wednesday, 12 /03, police were notified of the death of 37yr-old inmate at Mangaung correctional facility in Bloemfontein. At the time, the death was believed to… — SA Police Service ???? (@SAPoliceService) April 23, 2025 The incident took place at the same facility from which notorious rapist Thabo Bester escaped in May 2022. News24 previously reported that the national commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale, had given an assurance that an escape similar to that of Bester would not occur again. The Public Protector launched an investigation in March 2023 after receiving a complaint from a member of the public that the DCS had failed the public in its handling of the escape. The report by the Public Protector, according to GroundUp, concluded that the conduct of two DCS officials, Roseline Phahlane and Chris Mahonono, "constitutes improper conduct as contemplated in terms of Section 182(1)(a) of the Constitution and amounts to undue delay as envisaged in Section 6(4)(a)(ii) of the Public Protector Act".
