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Sukoluhle Ndlovu Midlands Bureau
A former Whawha Prison inmate took advantage of his knowledge of security laxity at the prison and broke into seven houses belonging to prison officers, getting away with two laptops, seven cellphones and a tablet. The daring Anyway Milanzi (26) of Mukono Farm in Darwendale had just been released from the same prison where he was serving a jail term when he returned and ransacked the prison quarters.

He was only arrested along Gweru-Mvuma Highway while waiting for public transport to take him home. Milanzi yesterday appeared before Mvuma magistrate Mr Tayengwa Chibanda, who sentenced him to an effective seven years in prison on his own plea. In passing judgement, Mr Tayengwa said Milanzi was not repentant, hence the decision for a deterrent sentence.

The agreed facts were that on September 24 at around 3am, Milanzi, who had just been released from prison, went to Whawha Prison Complex and proceeded to the prison officers’ quarters and stole laptops, phones and a tablet from seven households. The stolen property belonged to prison officers. Around 4am, one of the prison officers discovered that his cellphone and his wife’s laptop were missing. After alerting his neighbours, it was discovered that seven households had been broken into. Two officers went outside the complex and found Milanzi waiting for public transport with his loot.