Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
A ZIMBABWE Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officer has appeared in court accused of helping convicted rapist, Cabangani Mike Mathe escape from Plumtree Prison by allegedly supplying him with hacksaw blades used to cut through prison cell burglar bars.
Yusufu Yusufu (47) appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Mathew Mutiro facing a charge of facilitating an escape from lawful custody.
He was remanded out of custody to July 15 for the commencement of trial after being granted US$200 bail.
Prosecuting, Ms Hazel Ncube told the court that Mathe, who was serving a 20-year prison sentence at Plumtree
Prison under prison number 25625, escaped from lawful custody in the early hours of November 15 last year.
She said the inmate was also facing other pending charges, including murder, having sexual intercourse with a young person and physical abuse.
“On November 15 last year at around 2AM, Mathe escaped from Plumtree Prison by cutting the burglar bars of his holding cell window using two hacksaw blades supplied by the accused,” said Ms Ncube.
The court heard that after escaping, Mathe fled the prison, leaving behind the two hacksaw blades allegedly used in the jailbreak.
Ms Ncube said the hacksaw blades would be produced in court as exhibits during the trial.
Following the escape, Mathe crossed into Malawi, where he allegedly lived disguised as a street vendor while evading capture.
His freedom came to an end when Malawian authorities arrested him after he failed to produce legal identification documents and was found to have entered the country illegally.
He was deported to Zimbabwe on February 24 and was immediately arrested by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) homicide detectives upon arrival at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
Mathe later appeared before Mr Mutiro, who convicted him of unlawful escape from lawful custody and sentenced him to six years’ imprisonment.
