AN armed robber who was subjected to mob justice at the hands of Beitbridge residents this week is a hardened criminal who broke out from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in November last year.
Mhikia Pirikisi of Farm 159 Dewure Small Scale Farms near
Tirizi School in Gutu, was serving a four-and-half year term for armed robbery
when he escaped from prison three months ago.
When he was arrested in Beitbridge, Pirikisi misled the
police into believing he was Hendrik Nyathi, but an investigation by this
publication helped police confirm he was a jail breaker.
As of yesterday, Pirikisi had been at large for 97 days
with just 167 days left of his jail term following his conviction in Harare for
case number CRB R156/18.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS)
spokesperson Chief Superintendent Meya Khanyezi yesterday confirmed Pirikisi
was a jail breaker.
“It is the duty of ZPCS to ensure that inmates awaiting trial and convicted do not escape
from lawful custody. Nonetheless some offenders sometimes employ various
methods to find themselves out of confinement before finalisation of their
sentences or other circumstances requiring them to be detained,” Khanyezi said.
“We would like to assure society that as a correctional
institution, we remain committed to our mandate as provided by the Constitution
of Zimbabwe to ensure that those behind the walls are incarcerated,
rehabilitated and are reintegrated into respective communities,.”
Pirikisi yesterday appeared before Beitbridge regional
magistrate Innocent Bepura, where he pleaded guilty to charges of robbing Nigel
Mazhanara of Beitbridge US$30 000 and R50 000.
He is expected back in court on Monday when prosecutor
Tsitsi Mutukwa will produce Mazhanara’s medical affidavit. Newsday
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