Chimombe, Mpofu Beaten By Prison Guards After Being Caught With Phones

Jailed ZANU PF members Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu were reportedly badly beaten by prison guards at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison on Wednesday after being caught with mobile phones in their cells.

According to Nehanda Radio, the two, both convicted of corruption and fraud and serving long sentences, had been under surveillance following reports they were communicating with the outside world via social media.

Prison officers were monitoring their WhatsApp and Facebook activity, which can be tracked by the “green light” that shows when a user is online.

When Mpofu went online, a team of guards raided his cell and recovered an iPhone. He was reportedly beaten until he revealed that his associate, Chimombe, also had a phone and named the officers who allegedly handed the devices over at night.

A second team then raided Chimombe’s cell, found another iPhone, and he, too, was beaten. Both prisoners sustained injuries and were treated at the prison hospital.

The prison officers implicated in smuggling the phones were detained. Searches of their quarters reportedly uncovered iPhone chargers used to power the devices.

A disciplinary tribunal last Friday found the officers guilty of misconduct and dismissed them from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service.

The prison service, under the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, is reportedly considering withdrawing remission previously granted to Chimombe and Mpofu.

Remission allows prisoners to serve a reduced sentence for good behaviour and compliance with prison rules.

A senior prison source told Nehanda Radio that security breaches are taken seriously because they undermine safety and the integrity of custodial sentences.

Contraband like mobile phones can lead to sanctions such as solitary confinement, loss of privileges, withdrawal of remission, or even additional charges if criminal activity is found.

The ZPCS is now reviewing the prisoners’ communications to determine whether any further crimes were committed.

Chimombe and Mpofu were jailed for fraud linked to the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, where they were found to have defrauded the state through a corrupt livestock tender.

Mpofu was sentenced to 22 years, with eight suspended, leaving an effective 15-year term. Chimombe was sentenced to 17 years, with five suspended, leaving 12 years.

Both have appealed their convictions and sentences, and this latest incident is unlikely to affect the outcome of their appeals, as it doesn’t relate to the merits of the case or the legality of the trial.