JOHANNESBURG – A ringleader suspected of participating in illegal gold mining has reportedly escaped from custody, allegedly with assistance from police officers. This incident occurred roughly one week after a rescue operation in South Africa unearthed 246 survivors and retrieved 78 deceased individuals from a disused mine. Authorities reported this troubling development on Monday.

Police have identified the escapee as James Neo Tshoaeli, a national from Lesotho, who is also referred to by the nickname “Tiger.” Tshoaeli surfaced during the recent rescue operations but was not processed at any police station where survivors were taken following their emergence. An inquiry is now ongoing to uncover the identities of those who facilitated his escape.

According to law enforcement, Tshoaeli is suspected of committing numerous offenses, including assaults and acts of torture directed towards fellow miners. Evidence supporting his alleged misconduct has been gathered from survivor testimonies as well as video recordings, as mentioned by police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. Additionally, reports indicate that Tshoaeli engaged in hoarding supplies, depriving other miners of essential food resources.

Mathe confirmed that “broad inquiries and tracking operations are currently active to identify the officials who assisted his escape between Shaft 11 and the holding cells at the Stilfontein police station.” She added that there are no records showing that Tshoaeli was booked into various police stations where other illegal miners have been detained, nor is there any indication that he was admitted to a local medical facility for treatment.

Since operations commenced at the gold mine in Stilfontein back in August, nearly 2,000 illegal miners have emerged, and 87 bodies have been recovered from underground. Reports from illegal miners indicate that many of them suffered from severe hunger and health concerns due to halted supplies allegedly enforced by law enforcement.

The rescue mission concluded last week after officials and volunteers engaged in the effort reported that no further survivors or remains were detected beneath the surface. Modern technology, including cameras and motion detection systems, was deployed to assess the situation.

Nevertheless, some local residents and organizations are voicing worries that additional bodies may still be entombed within a different shaft.