Sundaymail Editor
TAFADZWA RICHARD MARONDERA must have thought his fellow inmates were a foolish lot that had accepted their fate without even trying the obvious — breaking out of prison.
He must have seen his fair share of action movies.
Marondera, who was already facing robbery charges, decided to up the stakes with an escape plan more ambitious than his legal defence.
His partner-in-fantasy, Luke Zinyengere, shared his desperation after their bail application was rejected by the High Court.
With the help of an alleged corrupt prison officer — Donald Madzinga — and Zinyengere’s younger brother Tinotenda, the two conjured up a jailbreak plan so absurd it could only have been dreamed up during late-night cell block chats.
Tinotenda brought a revolver to Harare Remand Prison concealed in a bowl of rice, which was reportedly handed over to the inmates with the help of Madzinga.
On March 21, as Marondera and Zinyengere were being escorted to the Harare Magistrates’ Court for routine proceedings, the latter had the smuggled revolver tucked into his pants.
As the court session ended and the two were being led back to the prison truck, Zinyengere drew the weapon and threatened prison officers.
In the ensuing melee, he bolted towards the perimeter fence, somehow managed to scale the tall palisade barrier and vanished into traffic along Mother Patrick Avenue.
But Marondera, perhaps too slow, too stunned or too weighed down by bad decisions, failed to make it past the first hurdle.
Officers pounced on him before he could escape. Zinyengere, meanwhile, kicked his movie-style escape into high gear.
Moments after fleeing the court, he confronted the driver of a brown Mazda Demio, menacingly brandished the revolver in his face and ordered him out.
He then zoomed off at breakneck speed.
The vehicle was later found abandoned the next morning along Kaguvi Street.
Witnesses told investigators they had seen a man matching Zinyengere’s description jump out of the car — now dressed in civilian clothes — and flee on foot.
How he managed to change clothes during all that chaos is still a mystery, but clearly he had stashed an outfit somewhere nearby, possibly with the help from yet another accomplice.
His freedom, however, did not last long.
After three days on the run, detectives tracked him down near Electrosales, along Mutare Road. A dramatic foot chase followed, with Zinyengere once again trying to make a run for it.
He was finally subdued and arrested.
Back in court, things took a predictable turn.
Harare regional magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni wasted no time in handing Marondera a 10-year sentence for attempting to escape lawful custody.
As for Zinyengere, he is now trying to rewrite the narrative.
He told the court that the getaway car was not hijacked — it was prearranged.
He even claims he paid the owner.
He has asked for the court’s permission to summon a witness who can back up this claim, and proceedings were adjourned to allow time for the alleged witness to appear.
Whether this mystery witness shows up or not, the facts on the ground — the firearm, the threats, the flight and the foot chase — are hard to explain away.
As for Marondera, his ill-fated leap for freedom has landed him a decade more behind bars — a costly lesson in how not to escape prison.
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter