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Crime Reporter
A Botswana national who was among the 18 criminals who escaped from prison early last month in the neighbouring country was arrested last week by the police, bringing the number of those recaptured to nine.

Givemore Chaloba (26) allegedly entered Zimbabwe through an illegal entry point at Maitengwe Border Post and went to live with relatives in Bulilima District.

He was convicted for illegal entry into the country on his own plea of guilty by Plumtree magistrate Mr Joshua Mawere.

Chaloba was fined $200 or two months imprisonment in case of default.

He told the court that he was arrested after his relatives, who had been promised a reward by Botswana authorities, sold him out.

“I fled from a prison in Botswana where I was being held for theft and I went to my mother’s homestead in Bambadzi area in Bulilima District,” said Chaloba.

“My cousins who are in Botswana learnt that I was on the run and informed my relatives in Zimbabwe. My uncle informed the police, who arrested me while I was in Bambadzi.

“On the day that I fled from prison, I saw some of my inmates escaping during lunchtime and I joined them. I was not involved in planning the escape.”

Prosecutor Mrs Rose Sibanda said Chaloba was arrested on February 8 at around 4pm.

She said police officers were on patrol in Maitengwe when they received information that Chaloba, who was an illegal immigrant, was at a homestead in Nsuluba Village in Bambadzi.

Mrs Sibanda said police officers went to the area and asked Chaloba to produce his identification documents, but he failed to do so, leading to his arrest.

Botswana Prison Service northern regional commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Sekano Sekano said they would apply for Ndlovu’s extrad- ition.

Another escapee, Thabani Ncube, a Zimbabwean who is wanted for murder in Botswana, was also arrested in Zimbabwe last month after he committed an offence in the country.