Suspect dies in prison

A-29-YEAR-OLD Bulilima man who recently attempted to flee from custody after being arrested for stock theft is reported to have died in prison after allegedly succumbing to injuries sustained during a mob attack.

A police source told Chronicle that Phumuzani Nyoni sustained injuries after being beaten up by angry villagers in Bulilima in July this year before his arrest, but did not receive any treatment leading to his death at Plumtree Prison two weeks ago.

However, a close relative to the late prisoner alleged that after he was attacked by a mob, Nyoni was subsequently brutalised while in prison after attempting to escape and his condition worsened.

Headman Ndolwane confirmed Nyoni's death, but said he was not aware of the cause.

"I just received a report that Nyoni passed away but I am not certain about the cause of his death. What I know is that he was recently attacked by a mob of angry villagers from a neighbouring community."

Nyoni is from Makhulela area but he was reported to have stolen 17 donkeys from Mbimba area. He was arrested but he ran away before being taken to Plumtree," said the headman.

Nyoni was yet to be sentenced for the stock theft charges, but recently he was sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to flee from lawful custody.
On July 28, he was escorted by two prison officers to Plumtree District Hospital after he requested to get medical attention. While at the hospital, he informed the officers that he wanted to use the toilet, but when handcuffs were loosened, he ran away.

Nyoni was re-arrested and in court he told Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa that he had fled as he was not receiving medical attention and was starving during his incarceration. A close relative told Chronicle that his death was suspicious.

He added that they were told that their relative complained of a headache before his death, but were of the view that the beatings were a contributory factor.

"He was arrested and put in prison while awaiting his trial but he attempted to escape. They caught him and he was thoroughly beaten up which worsened his condition and he was put back in prison. We later received a report that he tried to escape again resulting in him getting beaten up again causing him to sustain more injuries," said the relative who spoke on condition of anonymity.