TWO awaiting trial-prisoners were shot dead on Tuesday, in the Thohoyandou High Court.
The two men were shot dead during an alleged confrontation with the officials in an apparent attempt to escape from lawful custody.
Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the two male prisoners, who had just appeared before the same High Court were being escorted from the court holding cells when they allegedly attacked one of the wardens and wrestled for his R5 rifle.
During the scuffle, several shots were randomly fired and in the process, the two prisoners were shot dead.
The deceased were facing more than 90 charges, ranging from murder, armed robberies, and business robberies to cash in transit heist.
They were already on trial for these serious crimes.
Mojapelo said investigations into the circumstances of the shooting have already begun and have been taken over by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, IPID.
The Police in Thohoyandou have opened two cases of inquest and that of robbery.