Police are investigating a strange case involving two suspects who allegedly shapeshifted and became cats in order to escape from the Meyerton Police Station holding cells on Tuesday morning.

The suspects, brothers Omari and Ali Mustafa, were among 11 suspects who were arrested for possession of hijacked good.

Omari has since been rearrested, while his brother remains on the run.

In the summary of events given to Gauteng provincial commissioner Tommy Mthombeni, police say the two men allegedly disappeared while being processed in the holding cells.

The statement reads:

The cell commander, Warrant Officer Phakathi, and Constable Mahloko were also in cells locked themselves in while the suspects were charged (sic). When it was a turn to charge this other [two] suspects, known as Mustafa Ali and Omari Mustafa, their names were called but they couldn’t be found. Among those suspects, there is a suspect known as Erick Tumbulu - who informed the police that he saw when these two suspects made a strange like owl bird noise, turned into cats and they escaped while the gate was still locked, he was prepared to even give a statement.

…

A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, said it was very suspicious that the suspects waited to arrive at the police holdings cells before they could turn into cats.