Pretoria - More than 100 inmates have escaped from prisons in Zimbabwe from January last year.
Quoted in the state-run newspaper Sunday Mail, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) said the majority of fugitives were in the category of B class, who are allowed to be out of the prison premises for work purposes while they serve at medium security facilities.
ZPCS spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Meya Khanyezi told Sunday Mail that the Harare central and Chikurubi Farm prisons have experienced high incidents of escapes.
Statistics released by the ZPCS show that in 2021, at least 64 inmates escaped from the Zimbabwean prisons, and this year, at least 52 inmates have fled the system, bringing the total to 116.
“Police, however recaptured 40 escapees during the same period. After escaping, 40 inmates were recaptured - 18 in 2021 and 22 in 2022,” Khanyezi told the Harare-based publication.
She added that most of the inmates vanish after asking for permission to answer the call of nature, while they work.
“Some A class inmates also abscond since they will no longer be under escort of a prison officer, given that they are of less risk and would have exhibited good behaviour,” said Khanyezi.
In South Africa this week, a major manhunt was launched after seven detainees, who are Zimbabwean nationals, escaped from Grahamstown correctional facility in Makhanda, Eastern Cape.
Spokesperson for the Department of Correctional Services, Singabakho Nxumalo, said the seven remand detainees escaped in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
“Investigations have been instituted and the circumstances relating to the escape will be confirmed in due course,” said Nxumalo at the time.
The seven, who were charged for rhino poaching, were listed as:
Nhamo Muyambo
Francis Chitho
Trymore Chauke
Lubuyo September
Abraham Moyane
Simba Masinga
Bennet Kwarrie
So far, Masinga has been the second of the seven escaped prisoners who was captured by authorities.
He was found hiding in the bushes between Joza and Committees Drift on Wednesday night at around 10pm.
Speaking about the escape, police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli said it is alleged that when an officer arrived for standby duties at around 4am on Tuesday, she saw the lights on in one of the units.
“It was discovered that seven prisoners escaped through a window,” Nkohli said.
Kwarrie was the first to be re-arrested in the group.
He was allegedly caught by the police in the Free State after a truck hit him, according to reports in the Sowetan.
Kwarrie has been charged for attempted murder, housebreaking and theft.
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