Harare – A prison guard has been arrested on suspicion of providing a firearm to Luke Zinyengere, the inmate who orchestrated a daring escape from custody at the Harare Magistrates Court on March 21. The incident, which saw Zinyengere, 29, engage in a shootout with prison officers before hijacking a vehicle, has prompted a thorough investigation into possible internal collusion.
Prison officer Donald Madzinga is expected to face charges in court on Monday, accused of aiding an inmate to escape from lawful custody, according to law enforcement sources. It is alleged that Madzinga was the individual who supplied Zinyengere with the revolver used in the dramatic escape.
The arrest comes after Zinyengere, who was due for sentencing in connection with the high-profile armed robbery of Quest Financial Services in Harare on February 25, 2024, made a brazen dash for freedom. The Quest Financial Services heist saw over US$700,000 in cash stolen, catapulting Zinyengere and his accomplices into the public spotlight.
In scenes that would leave Hollywood movie script writers green with envy, Zinyengere, armed with a pistol, exchanged gunfire with prison guards as he staged his escape from the Harare Magistrates’ Court building on Friday.
Following the incident, police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi issued an appeal for information that may lead to the arrest of the fugitive. Nyathi stated that “investigations are being conducted in connection with the escape from lawful custody and alleged armed robbery incident of a Mazda Demio vehicle at Harare Magistrate Court on 21st March 2025”.
Commissioner Nyathi added, “The police is appealing for information which may lead to the arrest of Luke Zinyengere, 29, who used a pistol and robbed a vehicle to escape from the court after engaging in a shootout with prison officers.” He also assured the public that “comprehensive investigations are underway to establish what actually happened in this incident.”
While Zinyengere managed to flee in movie-style, his accomplice, Tafadzwa Marondera, was immediately apprehended after jumping over the palisade fence at the courts. Sources suggest that Marondera provided officials with information that led to Madzinga’s arrest.
The stolen loot included US$720,676.00, ZAR 10,500.00 and Euro 120.00 cash, as well as a 7.65 mm CZ Vzor pistol and three laptops.
The detectives also recovered a Mark X vehicle, registration number AFR 7059, which Luke Zinyengere had bought for US$11,000.00, an iPhone 14 Pro Max bought for US$ 1,300.00, and an iPhone 15 Pro Max bought for US$1,500.00, allegedly using the proceeds from the robbery.
Two security guards who were on duty at Quest Financial Services during the robbery have already been sentenced to 48 months in jail each for picking up some of the cash dropped by the robbers as they fled and failing to surrender it into evidence.
In June last year, Zinyengere and Marondera were back in the dock, facing fresh charges of robbing an iPhone cell phone dealer. The pair allegedly robbed Tinashe Kelvin Leon Chikove, a second-hand cell phone dealer at Ximex Mall, Harare, at gunpoint, stealing a range of iPhone models.
