Prisons officer death opens can of worms

The death of a Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officer has sparked controversy, with starkly conflicting accounts from the police and the deceased's family over what transpired during his final hours.

In a statement, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi alleged that the officer, Tawanda Marumahoko (32), was part of a gang that staged a US$10 000 armed robbery involving a bread delivery truck near Chinhoyi Heroes Acre on 14 November 2025.

Nyathi said the driver, Kenneth Tsvarisai, initially reported being robbed by unknown assailants while transporting bread from Banket to Chinhoyi. However, investigations revealed inconsistencies, leading detectives to conclude that the robbery had been orchestrated. Tsvarisai was arrested the following day after allegedly providing inside information and assisting in the plan.

Under interrogation, Tsvarisai reportedly implicated Marumahoko. Police said they recovered US$4 680 believed to be part of the stolen money, and that Marumahoko admitted using US$300 to hire a lawyer upon learning of Tsvarisai's arrest. Detectives further claimed he led them to the crime scene, where they recovered a blowgun loaded with eight rounds.

But the circumstances surrounding Marumahoko's death have triggered alarm.

According to the police version, Marumahoko attempted to flee during indications at the crime scene and was caught and flogged by a mob attempting a citizen's arrest. He was later taken to Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, where he died upon admission.

Police, however, have not stated how he managed to escape from custody, nor have they announced any arrests relating to the assault that caused his death - despite acknowledging he was fatally injured in the beating. Nyathi said investigations into the circumstances of his death are underway.

Marumahoko's family strongly disputes the official account, claiming the story of a fleeing suspect and a spontaneous mob attack is a cover-up for police torture.

His wife, Mary Muzama, said her husband was arrested in Chinhoyi on Saturday morning, with detectives later accompanying him home to collect unspecified items. She alleges he was badly assaulted while in custody at Chinhoyi Police Station, and that she was also detained, beaten for nearly four hours and had her phone confiscated.

Muzama says the first time she saw her husband at around 5pm, he could neither walk nor sit.
"His legs were swollen, the right one was bleeding and he kept falling. His forehead was also swollen," she said.

She further alleged that some officers threatened to kill him, claiming he was a "problematic" suspect who often slipped through the system.

According to Muzama, when she last saw him alive, he could not make any movement, yet police told her he would be taken for indications - something she insists he was physically incapable of doing.

The family says they have not been allowed access to his body.

His uncle, Office Marumahoko, said:
"We are still in shock over what happened. And besides, they still have the body of our son. It's painful."

The family also questioned the police claim that a mob emerged in a "bushy area where there are no homes," arguing that this explanation appeared only later and seemed designed to sanitise the circumstances of the death.

The incident comes amid long-standing concerns over the safety of suspects during crime indications, a procedure meant to reconstruct events and collect evidence.

Over the years, numerous suspects - many in leg irons - have died during these operations, with police often claiming they attempted to flee or disarm officers. The pattern has fuelled public scepticism, with critics warning that crime indications have become synonymous with intimidation, fear and, at times, fatal outcomes.

Meanwhile, police say the hunt continues for two additional suspects, identified only as William and Spencer, who are allegedly linked to the staged robbery.