Court Hears How Convicted Rapist Allegedly Escaped With Help From Prison Officer
A Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) officer has appeared in court after being accused of helping convicted rapist Cabangani Mike Mathe escape from Plumtree Prison by allegedly providing him with hacksaw blades. The officer, Yusufu Yusufu, is facing a charge of facilitating an escape from lawful custody. His court appearance comes months after Mathe was recaptured and returned to Zimbabwe following his arrest in Malawi.
ZPCS Officer Accused Of Supplying Hacksaw Blades For Plumtree Prison Escape
The Chronicle reports that Yusufu (47) appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mathew Mutiro on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.
The court heard that he was granted bail of US$200 (approximately R3,300) and remanded out of custody to 15 July 2026, when his trial is expected to begin.
Prosecutor Hazel Ncube told the court that Mathe escaped from Plumtree Prison during the early hours of 15 November 2025 while serving a 20-year prison sentence.
She alleged:
“On November 15 last year at around 2AM, Mathe escaped from Plumtree Prison by cutting the burglar bars of his holding cell window using two hacksaw blades supplied by the accused.”
She added that the two hacksaw blades allegedly used in the escape were left behind and would be produced as exhibits during the trial.
How Cabangani Mike Mathe Was Arrested In Malawi
The court heard that after escaping from prison, Mathe allegedly crossed into Malawi, where he reportedly lived disguised as a street vendor while avoiding arrest.
According to The Chronicle, Malawian authorities later arrested him after he allegedly failed to produce legal identification documents and was found to have entered the country illegally.
He was deported to Zimbabwe on 24 February 2026, where Criminal Investigation Department (CID) homicide detectives arrested him upon arrival at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
Court Hears Rapist Faced Other Serious Charges
Prosecutor Hazel Ncube also told the court that, besides serving a 20-year sentence, Mathe was facing other pending charges.
She told the court that these included murder, having sexual intercourse with a young person and physical abuse.
Following his return to Zimbabwe, Mathe appeared before Magistrate Mutiro, who convicted him of escaping from lawful custody and sentenced him to an additional six years in prison.
The case against Yusufu is expected to continue on 15 July 2026, when the court is scheduled to begin hearing evidence.
The post Prison Officer In Court Over Allegedly Helping Convicted Rapist And Killer Escape appeared first on iHarare News.
