Prisoner escapes

An inmate at Chinhoyi Prison attached to the car wash section has escaped from custody with only 22 days to go before his release. Never Jonga allegedly took advantage of the car wash duties to put on civilian clothes and sneak out without being detected.

According to sources, Jonga was sentenced to a jail term that he could have avoided on condition that he paid back around $12 000 he had stolen.

He apparently managed to pay back about $8 000 leaving, a balance of about $4 000, which resulted in him being put behind bars. Jonga reportedly opted to serve his prison term in Chinhoyi on the pretext that he has relatives there.

The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon as Jonga was with other inmates at the car washing bay. "It is suspected that he got clothes from someone who came on the pretext that he wanted his car washed," said a source.

He was scheduled for release on July 21. He left his prison garb stuffed in a gumboot before making good his escape. Another inmate escaped from the prison in December last year.