Said to have been joined by two new "lieutenants" since his escape

NEWS that fugitive Douglas Mokgakane has been re-arrested spread like wildfire in the Bushbuckridge area, resulting in a media frenzy, only for residents to find out later that the information was hogwash.

Some residents had even planned a big party to celebrate the "re-arrest" of Mokgakane, who is said to be a member of a gang of three men accused of terrorising the local community.

Provincial police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Leonard Hlathi denied that Mokgakane was re-arrested on Monday - but confirmed that he had also heard about the false information.

"It is just not true that we have found the suspect.

"People should stop spreading lies because they have the potential of interfering with our investigations," Hlathi said yesterday.

Mokgakane's mother Flonny Chiloane appeared in the Acornhoek Magistrate's Court on Tuesday to face charges related to her possible knowledge of her son's whereabouts.

She was not asked to plead to charges of defeating the ends of justice and was remanded in custody pending her next court appearance on April 12.

Hlathi confirmed that Chiloane, 50, was arrested on Saturday. "It is true that the wanted suspect's mother was arrested and charged with defeating the ends of justice. I do not wish to dwell on the merits though," Hlathi said.

Sowetan has since established that cellphone conversations between the mother and son apparently played a role in Chiloane's arrest, but Hlathi could neither confirm nor deny this information.

Congress of the People had already released a statement thanking the police:

"Cope in Mpumalanga congratulates the police for re-arresting this allegedly very dangerous prison escapee. Cope hopes the police will ensure that all cases that are linked to him are thoroughly investigated and [that] he ultimately gets a conviction and a long prison sentence."

Provincial organiser Sizile Ndlovu added in the statement released on Monday: "We hope that this time around he will not escape from prison but will face the full might of the law. This will indeed be a great relief to the people of Bushbuckridge."

Mokgakane and his co-accused faced charges of murder, rape, armed robbery with aggravating circumstances, unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition, vehicle theft, hijacking and attempted murder before their escape.

Two of his accomplices who escaped with him early on November 6 last year have since been re-arrested.

They had, before their capture, survived in the Kruger National Park, which is full of wild animals.

Mokgakane has apparently been joined by two new "lieutenants" since his escape, and police claimed the group was continuing with its crime spree in other villages.