Online Reporter
Court Reporter
A WANTED Plumtree fugitive whose escape from lawful custody triggered a major manhunt before his subsequent re-arrest, has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment after his dramatic deportation from Malawi, bringing his brief life on the run to an end.
Cabangani Mathe (38), a former businessman from Plumtree, was taken into custody upon his return to Zimbabwe after Malawian authorities established that he was in the country illegally and without any form of identification.
Subsequent verification revealed that Mathe was a wanted fugitive in Zimbabwe, leading to his immediate arrest by members of the CID Homicide unit.
Mathe appeared on Wednesday before Bulawayo regional magistrate, Mr Shingirayi Mutiro, where he was charged with escaping from lawful custody. He pleaded guilty to the offence. The State was represented by Ms Hazel Ncube.
The court sentenced him to six years’ imprisonment.
Although the proceedings focused on the offence of escaping from lawful custody, Mathe is also wanted in connection with a number of serious crimes allegedly committed in Plumtree.
He faces allegations of rape, assault and terrorising residents, offences that reportedly left sections of the community living in fear prior to his escape.
Police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi warned that fleeing across borders does not place suspects beyond the reach of the law.
“This case demonstrates that there is no safe haven for criminals. The Zimbabwe Republic Police works closely with regional counterparts to ensure that fugitives are traced and brought back to face justice,” he said.
He added that the arrest underscores strengthening regional cooperation in combating cross-border crime, particularly in border towns where suspects often attempt to evade justice by fleeing to neighbouring countries.
Details surrounding Mathe’s escape point to a carefully executed plan. He allegedly broke out of prison in the early hours of Saturday, 15 November 2025, at around 2am.
Investigations revealed that he is suspected to have used a hacksaw blade to cut through window burglar bars before forcing his way out of the facility.
He allegedly cut through a razor-wired fence near the dog yard and exited through the officers’ residential gate before disappearing into the night.
Following the escape, police seized officers’ smartphones as part of widening investigations into how the inmate managed to flee without triggering an immediate response.
At the time of his escape, Mathe had served only eight months of a 20-year prison sentence for rape, imposed on 29 August 2025. He was also due to appear in court on 19 November on a physical abuse charge and was facing a pending murder trial.
Court records detail disturbing allegations against him. In one case, he was convicted of forcing a female employee into icy water, repeatedly submerging her until she lost consciousness, before raping her and ordering her to return to work the following day.
Other pending cases include allegations of abusing a minor and restraining a woman with handcuffs before assaulting her.
For years, Mathe was regarded as a feared figure in Plumtree, with reports indicating that some victims were too intimidated to come forward.
His re-arrest and conviction for escaping from lawful custody have now brought him back behind bars, as authorities prepare to pursue the outstanding cases against him.
