An escaped convict, Caleb Mashingaidze, has been rearrested at the Harare Magistrates Court. Mashingaidze had escaped from Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison last year after serving only two weeks of his 27-month sentence for robbery.
Police arrested Mashingaidze last Friday and charged him with extortion and impersonation. He told authorities his name was Tawanda Masunda. On Saturday, he was granted $100,000 bail.
While in police custody, Mashingaidze was given a bank card by an acquaintance to pay his bail. However, when he went to the court yesterday to process his bail payment, police recognized him as the escaped convict and rearrested him.
Mashingaidze had escaped from prison just two weeks into his 27-month sentence for robbery. After his escape, he had evaded arrest until last week’s chance encounter that led to his re-apprehension.
Mashingaidze remains in police custody and is expected to be charged in relation to his prison escape in addition to the extortion and impersonation charges.
