Online Reporter
Arron Nyamayaro
PEOPLE around jailed rapper, Benard “Liquid Yonke” Hwete have abandoned him following his decision to serve a prison sentence instead of community service.
Liquid Yonke’s decision shocked many as he described community service as work for the City Council employees.
Now, people is his life have abandoned him, and he has not received any visits since his return to prison. Speaking about his ordeal, Liquid Yonke said he lost a tooth in an attack the day before his arrest for theft.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Family Week began on Monday, but Liquid Yonke remains without visitors.
When Pathways to Reintegration Foundation board chairperson Dr Rutendo Mudzamiri arrived together with Madzibaba Nigel Dokwani of Johanne Masowe yeChishanu, Liquid Yonke was among inmates who rushed to seek prayers.
“I regret revealing my decision to choose prison sentence instead of community service,” Yonke said. “My parents and relatives warned me about it, and they have decided to abandon me. None of them is paying me a visit.
“To make matters worse, they have informed prison officers about my decision.
“As a result, I have been counted among misbehaving inmates for choosing to return to prison.
“I want to apologise to the public for my statements. It was never my intention to say I love being in prison. I need prayers because a day before my arrest, I was attacked and lost my tooth.”
He said the attackers accused him of exposing their drug bases but he could not identify them as this happened at night.
“When I reported the matter to the police the following morning, that is when I met my girlfriend, who was also reporting the theft of her cellphone, leading to my arrest” he said.
A victim of drug and substance abuse, Liquid Yonke appealed for support, saying he still has music talent that he wants to protect for a bright future. “I do not write my songs. I just compose ideas in my mind and when I sing them, they create music,” he explained, before adding in Shona:
“Zvakanyorwa kare zvangu mubrain, handinyore pasi kuti ndizoimba.”
He demonstrated his talent by composing a song on the spot about PAREF, and later sang with fellow inmate Oscar Phiri, convincing Dr Mudzamiri of his potential.
Dr Mudzamiri urged churches, corporates and individuals to join hands with prisons to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders.
“We have a number of talented and gifted people in prisons,” she said.
“PAREF is compiling a database of inmates’ skills and training them to avoid returning to criminal behaviour after release.
“Today we brought Madzibaba Nigel. Apart from addressing and praying for inmates, he also donated ice creams to inmates who have not been receiving visitors due to their geographical location.” She said many inmates come from places far from Harare and rarely get visits.
“We have inmates from Bulawayo and Chipinge here in Harare prisons, and they hardly have visitors. This is where we are calling for assistance,” Dr Mudzamiri said.
She spent the better part of yesterday meeting various inmates who did not receive visitors.
Harare Metropolitan Province staff officer for rehabilitation and reintegration, Superintendent Gwauya Mutuke, commended members of the public for visiting inmates during the first day of Family Week.
“We would like to commend those who visited inmates on the first day in Harare,” Supt Mutuke said.
“Harare Metropolitan Province prisons recorded 1,496 inmates visited and 4,132 visitors.”
He added that:
Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison: 399 inmates visited; 1,216 visitors
Harare Central Prison: 498 inmates visited; 1,264 visitors
Chikurubi Female Prison: 72 inmates visited; 292 visitors
Chikurubi Farm Prison: 68 inmates visited; 263 visitors
Kentucky Prison: 27 inmates visited; 74 visitors
Harare Remand Prison: 404 inmates visited; 952 visitors
Chikurubi Psychiatric Unit: 28 patients visited; 71 visitors
Supt Mutuke said visitors play a major role in rehabilitation and reintegration, encouraging communities to continue taking part in Family Week.
Mathew Masinge