MAN ESCAPES FROM COURT AFTER NINE YEAR SENTENCE

A MAN walked out of court in Gwanda to his freedom moments after he had been slapped with a nine-year jail sentence for stock theft.

Witnesses said Quiet Ndlovu (19) of Tshoboyi East Village in Gwanda escaped last Friday at around 4PM after he had been sentenced and fled into the streets as he had been left unattended by prison officers.

Efforts to pursue him were fruitless as he was already out of sight when prison officers realised that he had escaped. Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services Matabeleland South provincial chief staff officer for administration and personnel, Chief Superintendent Mkhulunyelwa Ngwenya, confirmed the incident. He said they had engaged a special task force unit from Bulawayo to track down Ndlovu.

“There is a prisoner who escaped from our officers on Friday and efforts are underway to catch him. We have engaged the special taskforce unit from Bulawayo Metro to assist us.
“On the day he fled we went to his home and spent two days in his village with the hope that he would turn up but he didn’t. However, we learnt that he showed up there after we left and we hope that we will track him down soon. I don’t have circumstances surrounding his escape as I am out of office at the moment,” he said.

Chief Supt Ngwenya appealed to members of the public with information on Ndlovu’s whereabouts to report to any police station near them.

Ndlovu was on Friday slapped with a nine-year jail sentence by Gwanda Provincial Magistrate, Mr Maphios Moyo, for stealing a beast from his 59-year-old neighbour, Mr Bismark Nyathi.

He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to stock theft.

Prosecuting, Ms Teererai Mahohoma said Ndlovu stole the beast from a grazing area on April 18 at around 8AM.

“Ndlovu went to Tshoboyi East Village grazing area and found four beasts which belonged to Mr Bismark Nyathi. He drove one of the beasts to a nearby village and sold it to Mr Khonaphi Sibanda for $300,” she said. Chronile

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