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Lovemore Meya Court Reporter
A jail bird from Chitungwiza who was re-arrested for defaulting paying restitution escaped from the charge office in handcuffs while the officer who arrested him was busy processing court papers. Sam Mlauzi (32) of Unit K was sentenced to 12 months in prison in November 2011 for unlawful entry and theft charges.

Four months of the sentence was suspended on condition he paid US$486 by the end of November the same year.
After five months of testing freedom, Mlauzi decided to revert to his old habits and stole a cellphone valued at US$40.

This happened on December 4 when he went to Chitungwiza CMED (Pvt) Ltd premises at around midday.
On arrival, he fished out a Nokia cellphone belonging to one of the employees Cindrella Mushamba (21) of Unit A in the same location.

Mlauzi was then arrested for defaulting restitution and met Mushamba at Makoni charge office where she had gone to report the theft.
Mushamba identified Mlauzi who was searched and found with the cellphone. The court head that two days later and at around 9.30am, Mlauzi was handcuffed waiting to be taken to court, but escaped in handcuffs.

He was re-arrested two days later at a house in Unit M and the cuffs were recovered. Appearing before Chitungwiza magistrate Mr Kudakwashe Jarabini, Mlauzi pleaded guilty to two counts of theft and escaping from police custody.

Mr Jarabini remanded him in custody to tomorrow for sentence after prosecutor Mr Edmond Ndambakuwa asked time to ascertain if Mlauzi had served his whole term.