Online Reporter
Dalyn Chigwizura Court Writer
A 25-YEAR-OLD Emganwini West man who pulled off a Hollywood-style escape from Nkulumane Police Station cells by crawling through the ceiling and smashing a window is back behind bars — this time for a full year.
Joseph Madzivanyika stunned cops when he staged the late-night jailbreak, only to be nabbed hours later in Nketa 9.
Western Commonage regional magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere handed him 24 months, but shaved off 12 months on conditions, leaving him with an effective one-year stretch.
Madzivanyika claimed in court that he “did not know” breaking out of police custody was a crime, a statement that left the gallery in stitches.
Magistrate Manwere, however, was not amused: “This is a serious offence that undermines law enforcement. A custodial sentence is necessary.”
The court heard that Madzivanyika had been arrested on 6 August for theft of property entrusted to him. But instead of spending the night in a cell, he decided to play cat and mouse with the law.
At 2AM on 7 August, he crept into the ceiling, dropped into a corridor, and smashed his way out through a window.
Cops gave chase but he disappeared into the dark.
His freedom was short-lived — by the afternoon, officers tracked him down in Nketa 9 and dragged him back to the same station he had escaped from.
He was also ordered to pay US$25 to cover the broken window panes by 1 September.
derick.khumalo