Police have dismissed claims that convicted rapist Cabangani Mathe (37) escaped from their custody last week.
In a post on X on Friday, 21 November, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) clarified that Mathe escaped from Plumtree Prison, where he was serving a 20-year sentence for rape, and not from police custody. Reads the statement:
“The ZRP dismisses allegations that Cabangani Mathe (37) escaped from police custody on 14/11/25.
“For the record, the suspect escaped from Plumtree Prison, where he was serving a 20-year sentence for rape.
“He also had pending cases before the courts, including murder and engaging in sexual intercourse with a young person.
“The ZRP urges media houses and social media users to exercise due diligence and verify facts with the relevant authorities before publishing or sharing information which may mislead the public and create unwarranted speculation.”
Mathe escaped from Plumtree Prison in the early hours of Saturday, 15 November 2025, after allegedly cutting through the window bars with a hacksaw blade.
He reportedly sliced open a window at around 2 AM, climbed out, and disappeared into the night. He has not been seen since.
Mathe was serving a 20-year sentence for rape, handed down on 29 August 2025, and was also awaiting trial for murder, sodomy, and another rape case at the Regional Court.
The escape has left residents of Plumtree, Bulilima, and Mangwe fearful for their safety, as Mathe has long been regarded as a dangerous and ruthless individual.
For years, Mathe allegedly roamed Plumtree like a local kingpin, running businesses, flaunting wealth, and reportedly terrorising women while claiming police could never arrest him. Victims often stayed silent out of fear, and some cases mysteriously collapsed.
His conviction finally came after a brutal 2024 attack on a female employee. Court papers reveal that on 16 October 2024, Mathe allegedly forced the woman into his car, drove her to a remote location, and ordered her into an icy water tank.
When she pleaded for mercy, he allegedly submerged her head repeatedly in water until she lost consciousness.
He then reportedly drove her home, forced her to change clothes, and later raped her before ordering her to return to work the next morning.
In another case, a police officer allegedly handed a woman in protective custody to Mathe, and she was later smuggled to Botswana, where she is said to have been murdered.
Mathe also faces charges of abusing a minor who worked in one of his shops, and another case where he allegedly handcuffed, beat, and forced a woman underwater while stepping on her back.
Many believed Mathe was untouchable due to powerful connections until his 2025 conviction. Now that he has escaped from prison, residents fear for their safety once again.
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