The man alleged to have killed more than 23 people and is thought to be Zimbabwe’s most prolific serial killer, Bright Zhantali, is among 465 inmates committed to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison’s psychiatric unit.
The inmates are undergoing either clinical management or medical evaluation to determine the state of their mental health.
The Sunday Mail reported that about 408 inmates committed to the unit have been classified as criminal mental patients (CMPs). This means that their criminal cases are still pending before the courts.
The rest have been classified as detained mental patients (DMPs). These are convicted criminals with psychiatric disorders.
About 55 percent of the inmates were involved or are suspected of having committed offences such as murder and attempted murder.
The other 45 percent are either facing charges or have been convicted of serious offences such as rape and armed robbery.
The Chikurubi prison psychiatrist, Chief Superintendent Christopher Njanjeni confirmed that Zhantali is in the Chikurubi psychiatric unit. He said:
Yes, I can confirm that Zhantali is in the Chikurubi psychiatric unit, undergoing observation and treatment.
We currently have 465 mental patients in our psychiatric unit against a carrying capacity of 150 patients.
We have two categories of psychiatric patients — criminal mental patients and detained mental patients.
Currently, we have a total of 465 mental patients, of which 408 are CMPs and 57 are DMPs.
These people are there for medical investigations after a special ruling by a magistrate when an accused person starts to develop signs of mental illness.
When a prisoner starts showing signs of mental health problems, the officer-in-charge of the prison reports the case to the nearest magistrate.
A special board of professionals will then sit to determine whether the patient can be confirmed to be mentally disturbed, in consultation with professional psychiatric medical practitioners.
Zhantali, who is accused of raping and killing 23 women, hails from Dandamera Township in Concession, Mashonaland Central Province,
The alleged murders were committed in Marondera, Goromonzi, Rusape, Mutare and Macheke.
Zhantali allegedly confessed to most of the murders and even suggested that he may have killed more people.