Police Launch Manhunt For Prison Inmate Who Escaped Custody Following Shootout
Police have launched a manhunt for a prison inmate who escaped custody at the Harare Magistrate Court on Friday following a confrontation with prison guards.
Reports indicate that the incident occurred when Luke Zinyengere (29) and others were being escorted into a Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) van after a court session.
According to Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, Zinyengere allegedly threatened a motorist with a pistol before seizing a Mazda Demio vehicle, which he used to flee the scene. Said Nyathi:
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms that investigations are being conducted in connection with the escape from lawful custody and alleged armed robbery incident of a Mazda Demio vehicle at Harare Magistrate Court on 21st March 2025.
The Police is appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of Luke Zinyengere (29) who used a pistol and robbed a vehicle to escape from the court after engaging in a shootout with prison officers.
The Police assures the public that comprehensive investigations are underway to establish what actually happened in this incident.
It is suspected the firearm may have been brought into the facility by someone at the remand prison.
Zinyengerere’s accomplice, Tafadzwa Marondera, was apprehended at the scene after attempting to escape by jumping over the court’s palisade fence.
Both Zinyengerere and Marondera are facing armed robbery charges.
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