Zimbabwe prison workshop vehicle escape
Two inmates have escaped from a Zimbabwean prison after reportedly using a workshop vehicle during a supervised work assignment outside the facility, authorities have confirmed. The Mutimurefu Prison breakout occurred when the prisoners took advantage of an opportunity while working beyond the prison walls and unlawfully accessed a Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) vehicle, according to the service’s spokespeople.
The escape was reported by ZPCS Assistant Commissioner Meya Khanyezi, who said the two men, identified as Feliciano Simango and Never Matoma, slipped away from the Masvingo correctional facility while on a work detail. Both inmates were serving time for theft and related offences when they seized the workshop vehicle and fled from the supervised location.
Just a short distance from the prison about 2.5 kilometres from the work site their escape run came to a halt when the vehicle was involved in a crash, leaving it damaged and inoperable. After the accident, the pair abandoned the vehicle and continued their flight on foot, escaping into nearby bushland.
ZPCS said the incident is now the subject of a full investigation, with security measures around supervised work areas strengthened to prevent a repeat of such an escape. Authorities have also appealed to the public for information that could help recapture the escapees, stressing the importance of restoring the integrity of custodial supervision and community safety.
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