Cheeky prisoner escapes. . . caught at bottle store

Paul Pindani in Chinhoyi

A CHEEKY prisoner, who escaped while they were fetching firewood at a prison farm, appeared in court yesterday.

Never Soza, 31, of Chikonohono was arraigned before Chinhoyi provincial magistrate Batsiranai Madzingira, charged with escaping from lawful custody.

Magistrate Madzingira slapped him with a 46-month imprisonment term, of which 12 months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

He will serve an effective 36 months in jail.

Prosecuting, Clever Nyapfani, told the court that on August 20, at around noon, Soza and four other inmates were fetching firewood at Baruka Prison Farm.

Soza went to a bushy area and disappeared.

His no show prompted the prison warden to search for him, but his efforts were in vain.

The warden alerted other officers who rushed to the scene and combed the vicinity, but they could not locate Soza.

Soza was, however, apprehended by a team of prison wardens on the same day at around 7pm at Christos Shopping Centre bottle store in Chinhoyi.