Online Reporter
Givemore Muzariri
LAIMON MWEMBE, a 37-year-old former inmate of Khami Maximum Prison who served an 18-year sentence after being wrongly convicted of rape (according to him), is today making a powerful plea to individuals currently serving time across the country’s correctional facilities. Having personally navigated the justice system and emerged transformed, Mwembe urges them to fully utilise the rehabilitation programmes on offer, believing these are vital tools for transforming lives and ensuring successful reintegration into society.
Mwembe made these significant remarks during a recent visit to Bulawayo’s central business district, where he was attending a meeting on behalf of his employer, who manages a popular establishment known locally as the “social club”.
In an exclusive interview, the ex-convict recounted his harrowing journey, explaining he was initially imprisoned in 2013 on charges of rape that he steadfastly maintains were fabricated. This accusation led to an initial twenty-year sentence, though two years were later commuted due to his exemplary behaviour, leaving him with an eighteen-year term.
“Each time I reflect on my life’s journey, I often tell people that I truly see the hand of the Lord,” he began. “When I first came to prison in 2013, it was after a misunderstanding with my girlfriend’s employer.”
He continued, detailing the origins of the ordeal: “While my girlfriend was working for this lady, she frequently complained of poor remuneration and serious ill-treatment. Upon hearing this, I advised her to leave that job and seek something better. She took my advice and departed without disclosing her intentions.
“The employer, however, subsequently learnt from one of my friends that I had influenced her worker to resign. This did not sit well with her, and she later decided to concoct a plan to ‘fix’ me,” he revealed.
Mwembe said that during his courtship with his girlfriend, he would regularly visit her workplace. The former employer, he claims, capitalised on this knowledge to falsely accuse him of raping one of her daughters. Upon receiving the report, police officers immediately apprehended him. After conducting their investigations, the matter was swiftly taken to court for finalisation.
“When my girlfriend left this lady to search for greener pastures, we continued dating, and I never suspected that her former boss harboured such bitterness due to my actions. After approximately a month, I received a visit from police officers who informed me they had a case in which I was being accused of raping a minor. I knew this was completely untrue, merely an act of vengeance, a case of sour grapes.
“The police officers were unwilling to believe my side of the story. Instead, they took me to the station, where I was subsequently held in custody for several days while awaiting the court proceedings.”
Mwembe recounted that whilst in police custody, he conversed with other suspects who advised him to exercise extreme caution, given that his case involved a “defenceless minor” who, they suggested, could not adequately explain herself before the court. The case later proceeded to trial, where Mwembe attempted to prove his innocence by presenting text messages exchanged with his girlfriend. However, his evidence fell on deaf ears. All the arguments Mwembe presented to the court failed to convince the bench of his innocence, leading to his eventual conviction and an eighteen-year prison sentence.
“Soon after my initial conviction, I simply could not believe that I had been separated from my girlfriend because of a fabricated case, meticulously crafted simply to punish me,” he recalled. “I was then transferred to Khami Maximum Prison, having been classified as a ‘D’ class prisoner.
“Upon my arrival at the prison, life was initially very challenging, as I was still in a state of denial. I attempted to submit letters of appeal against both my sentence and conviction, but nothing seemed to work for me at that time.
“I waited for over six months without receiving any response to my appeal letters. That’s when I finally realised that I had actually come to prison for a profound reason: to realign my life, which had undoubtedly been derailed by negative influences.
“While in prison, I decided to pursue my Ordinary Level studies, and when I sat for the examinations, I managed to secure five O-level subjects, including English, Geography, Science, Business Studies, and Commerce,” he said.
The ex-convict revealed that soon after completing his Ordinary Levels, he decided to join a gospel musical group called “Voice of Praise” as a backing vocalist. This group had the invaluable opportunity to be invited by numerous churches for interactive sessions and evangelising, which, as he explained, formed a crucial part of the reintegration process.
“While under Voice of Praise, we had the invaluable opportunity to be invited to various churches across Bulawayo. These invitations allowed us to travel and meet different people, which genuinely helped us to quickly adjust to the idea of reintegrating back into society.
“The performances we showcased unequivocally demonstrated that prisons hold a wealth of untapped talent. Consequently, we later received an offer to record our first album, titled Ungithathenginje. The album was subsequently launched at a local church with the generous support of various congregations from Bulawayo,” he said.
Mwembe highlighted that recording their debut album while incarcerated served as a powerful motivation, instilling in them the belief that they could undertake any project, regardless of their circumstances. While still basking in the glory of their successful album, most of the group members were subsequently enlisted to benefit from a Presidential amnesty.
“I genuinely miss my final days in prison, as we had rare opportunities to travel across Bulawayo, mixing and mingling with different people, some of whom continue to support us as we strive to find our footing in the community.
“We had exemplary management at Khami Maximum Prison who truly made things happen. Despite having completed our jail terms, we remain incredibly grateful and continue to support that management.
“Most of the events organised by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS), Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, we attend simply to support the system that nurtured us into who we are today. Despite having completed our jail terms, as ‘Voice of Praise’, we are still together, and more productions are yet to come, as we are already an established brand,” he affirmed.
The ex-convict concluded by stating that their growth as a group serves as a powerful testament to the transformation of ZPCS into a correctional institution focused primarily on empowering inmates for their successful reintegration back into society.
In a concerted effort to ensure that no inmate is left behind in terms of rehabilitation, various programmes have been made available across different prisons. These include skills such as bricklaying, cattle rearing, farming, welding, and refrigeration, among others.
