4 police officers suspected of helping mining kingpin to escape granted bail

JOHANNESBURG - Four police officers suspected of assisting the escape of James Neo Tshwaeli a mining kingpin have been granted bail of R1000 on Friday.

This follows their arrest on Friday conducted by the South African Police Anti-Corruption Unit.

James Neo Tshwaeli, also known as Tiger, resurfaced from shaft 11 in Stilfontein in the North West earlier in January but he never arrived in a holding cell.

General Patrick Asaneng confirmed that the officers that were on duty on 15 January know of the events that transpired that day.

READ: WATCH: Underworld of Stilfontein: Who controls the abandoned mine?

Asaneng noted that the four Vela Umgodi officers had been charged with two accounts.

"The first count being in defeating the course of justice and the second count is of aiding a prisoner escape."