Man Breaks Free from Chawagona Hapana Prison

Kudzayi Brighton Tembo, a 23-year-old prisoner, seized an opportunity for freedom on a warm Monday morning at Chawagona Hapana, a prison nestled amidst the green maize and yellow banana fields of Mashonaland Central. Unchained and with only one prison officer guarding him, Tembo vanished into the expansive fields while his fellow inmates toiled under the sun, far from the prison walls.

The scene was part of the prison’s rehabilitation program, aimed at preparing inmates for reintegration into society. However, Tembo chose to exploit the leniency afforded to him, making a daring escape from custody.

Suspected to have fled around 10 am, Tembo, clad in a black T-shirt, disappeared into the lush vegetation, taking advantage of the bright sunlight and the cover provided by the thriving crops nourished by recent rains.

Tembo, serving a five-year sentence for unlawful entry and theft charges, was due for release in April 2026. Despite initial searches by prison officers, he eluded capture, prompting a swift response from law enforcement agencies.

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Described as of average height, light complexion, with a Manica accent, Tembo managed to evade detection, with some witnesses reporting sightings of a half-naked man believed to be him, though dismissed as a mentally challenged person at the time.

Authorities suspect that Tembo may have sought refuge in his hometown of Galiva in Bindura, where close associates and a relative may have assisted him in evading capture.