HARARE
–
An
inmate
who
made
headlines
recently
when
he
staged
a
dramatic
escape
from
prison
officers
at
the
Harare
Magistrates’
Court
has
been
handed
a
22-year
jail
term
for
his
offences.
Luke
Zinyengere
was
found
guilty
by
Harare
magistrate
Letwin
Rwodzi
following
a
full
trial
for
escaping
from
lawful
custody
and
armed
robbery.
He
committed
armed
robbery
when
he
pulled
a
gun
and
forced
a
motorist
to
surrender
his
vehicle
which
he
drove
off
at
high
speed
after
eluding
prison
officers,
court
was
told
during
trial.
Zinyengerere
had
pleaded
guilty
to
escaping
from
lawful
custody
and
partially
admitted
to
armed
robbery.
He
claimed
in
his
defence
that
he
had
used
a
toy
gun
to
seize
the
vehicle.
However,
the
state
proved
that
he
used
a
real
weapon
which
had
earlier
been
smuggled
into
his
cell
by
relatives
with
assistance
from
a
prison
officer.
Zinyengere
was
jailed
10
years
for
escaping
from
prison
and
12
years
for
armed
robbery.
In
passing
sentence,
Rwodzi
took
into
consideration
that
this
was
a
“well-choreographed
crime”.
“The
crime
was
committed
in
a
well-planned
and
sophisticated
manner,”
she
said.
She
said
the
only
mitigating
factor
was
that
he
is
a
family
man
and
a
first
time
offender.
“But
you
started
at
the
deep
end,”
said
the
magistrate.
“The
plan
was
executed
in
a
movie-style
and
it
traumatised
a
lot
of
people
including
court
officials.
“You
also
traumatised
the
innocent,
the
general
public
who
were
doing
their
business
and
the
owner
of
the
car
whom
you
robbed.
“The
original
crime
that
he
is
facing
should
be
considered
and
in
this
case
there
are
several
cases
of
armed
robbery.
“I
will
settle
for
the
highest
penalty.
Escaping
from
lawful
custody
shows
that
you
cannot
be
rehabilitated
in
the
near
future.
Society
must
be
protected
and
jailbreak
is
not
a
kids’
game.”
The
court
heard
that
on
the
day
of
the
crime,
Zinyengere
managed
to
escape
and
robbed
Tinashe
Chiyamuro
of
his
vehicle
and
phones.
He
drove
at
high
speed
towards
Harare’s
Kopje
area.
The
court
heard
that
the
vehicle
was
later
dumped
along
Kaguvi
Street
where
Zinyengere
almost
ran
into
a
spare
parts
shop.
He
jumped
off
and
disappeared.
It
is
further
alleged
that
police
managed
to
take
fingerprints
from
the
vehicle
and
on
the
following
Monday,
they
received
a
tip-off
that
Zinyengere
had
returned
from
Mutare
and
was
trying
to
hire
a
car
at
George
Bus
top
in
Ruwa.
That
is
when
he
was
arrested.
A
prison
officer
who
allegedly
assisted
Zinyengere
and
Tafadzwa
Marondera
to
escape
was
also
arrested
and
awaits
his
own
trial.
A
prosecutor
and
two
of
Zinyengere’s
relatives
were
also
arrested
for
allegedly
assisting
him
to
escape.