Fugitive prisoner nabbed

A PRISONER who escaped in November last year while doing unpaid work at a Grain Marketing Board depot in Mutare together with other inmates has been re- arrested and is awaiting sentence.

Silas Dube of Benzi Village in Buhera pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody as defined in Section 185 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9: 23 when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira on Monday.

Mr Fletcher Karombe appeared for the State.

Allegations were that on November 27, Dube was in the company of nine other inmates rendering manual work at GMB Coffee Depot where they were of f loading maize bags.

The inmates were a l legedly under the supervision of prison of f icers , Kabit i and Tsedebu.

“Dube was then tasked to prepare breakfast for the inmates.

“He, however, sneaked away without being noticed and escaped from lawful custody,” said Mr Karombe.

Dube was later arrested by other prison officers i n Murambi nda on December 10, 2016.

Asked why he escaped, Dube told the court that he was not feeling well and was not get t ing enough medical attention in prison.

“Your Worship, I was so sick and the medication that I was getting in prison was not adequate.

“I escaped because I needed to get help from elsewhere.

“I, however, erred and beg for the court’s forgiveness,” he said.