Inmate escapes during clean-up

By Bridgette Moyo

A 31-year-old Kwekwe prisoner was slapped with another 12-month jail term after he tried to escape during a clean-up campaign.

Brian Rungu, who is an inmate at Kwekwe prisons, appeared before Kwekwe Magistrate Mr Storey Rushambwa facing one count of escaping from lawful custody.

Rungu pleaded guilty to the charge and he was sentenced to 12 months in jail.

In passing sentence Mr Rushambwa said “You have proved you still need prison services to correct your rogue behaviour.

‘‘More years in prison will definitely suit the kind of mindset you have and therefore you still need to be properly disciplined. I hereby sentence you to another 12 months in prison.”

It was the State case that on March 1 around 1pm Rungu and other 19 inmates were at the Zimbabwe Republic police dump site conducting a clean-up outside the prison complex.

The prosecutor Mr Freddy Ndoro said Rungu took advantage of being outside the prison, and ran away.

“The accused took advantage of the fact that they were outside the prison and he was in the free environment. He saw an opportunity for him to escape and he excused himself from the other inmates running away,” he said. Rungu was caught by members of the Zimbabwe Prison Correctional services after about 400 metres. The Herald