Hopalong convict slips the long arm of the law

A Zimbabwean criminal managed to escape police while on crutches.

Bongani Moyo - who is described by police as a "dangerous criminal" and is wanted in connection with 35 bank robberies - managed to flee a courtroom in Pretoria despite the police presence.

Police spokesman Captain Katlego Mogale admitted to South African newspaper The Mail & Guardian: "He was not locked up inside the cell and or in shackles. He was sitting between court 16 and 17 and escaped through court 16."

Phumlani Ximiya, spokesman for The Department of Correctional Services, said: "He was picked up by the police so he could go to court, and escaped under the nose of the police.

"We warned the police that this person had escaped before and therefore they should tighten their security."