Captured fugitives betray each other

Mthokodzisi Sibanda, a captured fugitive dropped another bombshell on his co-accused this week Tuesday when he suddenly changed his plea.Sibanda who has long pleaded not guilty to the charge of escaping from lawful custody, shocked his co-accused in a fully-packed courtroom when he said that he wanted to change his plea. A charge sheet was read to him and a new plea of ‘guilty’ was recorded. First to feel the heat was Godwin Mapunganyika who changed his plea out of the blue a fortnight ago.

Sibanda and Mapunganyika were amongst the 18 prisoners who escaped from Francistown Gerald Centre for Illegal Immigrants in January. Three of these fugitives were Batswana while 15 where Zimbabweans. The security agents have so far managed to recapture all Batswana who had escaped and seven Zimbabweans.

 So far, the recaptured outlaws are, Mlindeni Moyo, Mthokodzisi Sibanda, Sicelo Sibanda, Godwin Mapunganyika, Rowland Moyo, Gaomodimo Molosiwa, Thabani Moyo, Charlotte Ndlovu, Musa Willie and Givemore Chaloba.

Unfortunately Ndlovu died at Nyangabgwe referral Hospital weeks after he was recaptured. It was alleged that he suffered severe injuries from being tortured by prison warders. All the prison escapees have since made his death their scapegoat for the offence. They claimed that they had not escaped from the long arm of justice and that Ndlovu is the one who released them from prison. Now it looks like Mapunganyika and Sibanda want Ndlovu’s soul to find eternal peace as they have gone back on their claim.

Meanwhile in another development in the same court, Chaloba, who was recently held in contempt of court and sentenced to seven strokes pleaded with the presiding Magistrate, Ismael Molobe to transfer him to another prison, saying he fears for his life. “I will die in this prison. People are always troubling me,” Chaloba pleaded with the Magistrate asking further that he be assisted with his medical records.

Molobe ordered that Chaloba be assisted with his medical record and also extended their remand warrant to the 15th of this month.