WOES continue to mount for incarcerated rapist Robert Martin Gumbura following claims by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa this week that he masterminded the riots that took place at Chikurubi Maximum Prison last Friday.
During Wednesday's Parliamentary session Mnangagwa sensationally claimed that the riotous prison act, which left five people dead, was instigated by the Independent End Time Message founder.
Gumbura, who is serving a 50-year prison term, 10 of which were suspended on condition of good behaviour, is likely to face more jail time, if it is proved that he masterminded the melee.
There is also a possibility that the suspended sentence might be added on to the sentence that he would get if convicted. Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya in February last year sentenced the 58-year-old pastor to 15 years in prison on the first two counts of rape, while he got 10 years each on the other two counts.
Gumbura, who is scheduled to be released from prison at the age of 97, is likely to get more time in jail, if Mnangagwa's claims are anything to go by. Gumbura became a celebrity after it emerged that he was a beholder of a very big penis which he had used to have sex with almost all female church members, even the married ones and their daughters included.
Despite Mnangagwa's averments, prisons spokesperson Elizabeth Banda refused to comment on the issue. "I cannot comment on anything the Vice President said, whatever he said, you will have to ask him," she said.
According to Mnangagwa, on that tragic Friday the 13th, Gumbura, had created a situation that would result in a prison break.
Mnangagwa, who also serves as the Justice minister, after being questioned in Parliament over what government was doing to improve the situation at the prisons following the riot, gave a report on how events of the riot had unfolded.
"Chikurubi does house the most dangerous criminals we have in the country, robbers, rapists and murderers serving sentences of up to 70, 60 or 45 years. A group of about a 100 of them had conspired to break away from prison. Surprisingly also, Gumbura was chairing that conspiracy," Mnangagwa said.
"However, they used the opportunity when the halls were opened and they were in a common area for meals. They used the question of there being no meat as relish for the food they were having to begin the chaos in prison and began attacking the prison wardens," Mnangagwa explained.
Mnangagwa said while all hell broke loose in the kitchen where the prisoners were breaking pipes and grabbing tools to arm themselves, Gumbura and his compatriots where busy climbing walls in a bid to escape.
"In that process, the prisoners went into the kitchen and caused a lot of damage in the kitchen by breaking pipes and furniture there; arming themselves with broken pieces of wood and bricks and began attacking prison wardens and officers," he said.
"Eighty of them were injured in that process, but whilst that was happening, the core group was busy climbing the walls with an attempt to escape. Because of that violence, we had to call in for more reinforcement from the police to assist to bring order in prisons," the said.
In the interim, Gumbura has filed an appeal against his conviction and sentence and the case is still pending at the High Court with the assistance of a new lawyer, Tapson Dzvetero.
During Wednesday's Parliamentary session Mnangagwa sensationally claimed that the riotous prison act, which left five people dead, was instigated by the Independent End Time Message founder.
 |
| WOES continue to mount for incarcerated rapist Robert Martin Gumbura following claims by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa this week that he masterminded the riots that took place at Chikurubi Maximum Prison last Friday. |
There is also a possibility that the suspended sentence might be added on to the sentence that he would get if convicted. Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya in February last year sentenced the 58-year-old pastor to 15 years in prison on the first two counts of rape, while he got 10 years each on the other two counts.
Gumbura, who is scheduled to be released from prison at the age of 97, is likely to get more time in jail, if Mnangagwa's claims are anything to go by. Gumbura became a celebrity after it emerged that he was a beholder of a very big penis which he had used to have sex with almost all female church members, even the married ones and their daughters included.
Despite Mnangagwa's averments, prisons spokesperson Elizabeth Banda refused to comment on the issue. "I cannot comment on anything the Vice President said, whatever he said, you will have to ask him," she said.
According to Mnangagwa, on that tragic Friday the 13th, Gumbura, had created a situation that would result in a prison break.
Mnangagwa, who also serves as the Justice minister, after being questioned in Parliament over what government was doing to improve the situation at the prisons following the riot, gave a report on how events of the riot had unfolded.
"Chikurubi does house the most dangerous criminals we have in the country, robbers, rapists and murderers serving sentences of up to 70, 60 or 45 years. A group of about a 100 of them had conspired to break away from prison. Surprisingly also, Gumbura was chairing that conspiracy," Mnangagwa said.
"However, they used the opportunity when the halls were opened and they were in a common area for meals. They used the question of there being no meat as relish for the food they were having to begin the chaos in prison and began attacking the prison wardens," Mnangagwa explained.
Mnangagwa said while all hell broke loose in the kitchen where the prisoners were breaking pipes and grabbing tools to arm themselves, Gumbura and his compatriots where busy climbing walls in a bid to escape.
"In that process, the prisoners went into the kitchen and caused a lot of damage in the kitchen by breaking pipes and furniture there; arming themselves with broken pieces of wood and bricks and began attacking prison wardens and officers," he said.
"Eighty of them were injured in that process, but whilst that was happening, the core group was busy climbing the walls with an attempt to escape. Because of that violence, we had to call in for more reinforcement from the police to assist to bring order in prisons," the said.
In the interim, Gumbura has filed an appeal against his conviction and sentence and the case is still pending at the High Court with the assistance of a new lawyer, Tapson Dzvetero.
