THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has launched a manhunt for Timothy Munhare, the surviving convict who jumped off a moving vehicle in Lalapansi in the Midlands province, while being transferred to Whawha Prison in Gweru at the weekend.
Source: Fugitive prisoner named – NewsDay Zimbabwe January 9, 2019
By Rex Mphisa
The other two, who died as they tried to escape, could not be identified because their next of kin were yet to be informed, while the fourth, who did not attempt to flee, is assisting with internal investigations.
“We are still in the process of informing relatives about the deceased. Munhare is outstanding and we advise the public not to try and apprehend him, but inform the police. He is dangerous,” ZPCS spokesperson Simon Kawondo said yesterday.
All the four, who were in their 30s, were serving long jail terms for violent crimes, including carjacking and armed robberies, Kawondo said.
Munhare and the deceased, one who died on the spot and another at Gweru General Hospital, attacked two of the guards who were escorting them from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to Whawha Prison in Gweru for fresh trials.
Southern Eye understands that the number of guards deployed to escort the convicts fell short of standard practice.
Munhare, convicted and sentenced in October 2017, was serving a 37-year-term for carjacking and armed robberies committed around the Midlands province.
“They were named in other cases and were on their way for fresh trials when they escaped, their long jail terms must have been incentives to flee,” Kawondo said.
ZPCS has started internal investigations to establish how they escaped and the probe will comb their path from Harare to the place of occurrence.
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