The Sunday News
South Africa’s most infamous prison warder Paul Zwane, who shot to infamy after a video of him and a female police officer having sex while on duty emerged, has allegedly committed suicide.
Zwane, who became known as Otto after the scandalous video went viral, allegedly hanged himself in a single cell at Johannesburg Correctional Centre, also known as Sun City, on Wednesday morning.
Zwane, who was dismissed from the Department of Correctional Services following his caper in 2011, allegedly ended it all a few hours before he could be sentenced after he was convicted for kidnapping and raping a minor.
Gauteng Correctional Services spokesman Ofentse Morwane confirmed that Zwane allegedly took his life in the early hours of Wednesday.
“The Department of Correctional Services can confirm that Otto Paul Zwane was admitted at the Johannesburg Medium A Correctional Services on March 31. He was found dead in a single cell on Wednesday morning, which is the day he was supposed to appear in court for sentencing,” said Morwane.
A high-ranking Correctional Services official claimed that Zwane killed himself with a shoe lace.
Zwane was dismissed from the department in 2011 after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty of having sex with an SAPS officer while on duty.
In the sex tape, the two officers could be seen in their respective uniforms having a private moment while on duty at Leratong Hospital in Kagiso on the West Rand, where they were guarding prisoners.
The video showed Zwane dancing with excitement before the female officer could walk into the room.
Zwane later admitted that he recorded the deed himself, claiming that he did not want the police officer to turn around and accuse him of violating her.
He told our sister newspaper Sowetan at the time that someone got hold of his phone and distributed the video to a number of people, which ended up on social media.
Meanwhile, in his latest case, a relative told Sunday World that Zwane allegedly kidnapped and repeatedly raped a minor he had been convicted of assaulting.
“He preyed on this young child. When the community found the child, Zwane had raped her for a number of times,” said the family member. The relative said Zwane had appeared in court and was found guilty on three counts of rape.
“He knew he was going to get a lengthy sentence due to the nature of the offence.”
– Sundayworld
