An inmate serving a decades-long sentence for violent crimes was dramatically recaptured after an escape attempt at the Harare Magistrates Court in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, 13 January 2026, in which he st@bbed a correctional officer and stole his uniform in a bid to walk out of the building unnoticed.
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) identified the inmate as 33-year-old Itai Madhongo, who had been brought to court for a separate legal proceeding. “The inmate assaulted a ZPCS officer who had entered the cell to escort the inmate to court, inflicting injuries to the face and neck with a sharp object,” Assistant Commissioner Meya Khanyezi, the ZPCS National Public Relations Officer, said. The injured officer was taken to a medical facility and was reported to be in stable condition.
Authorities said Madhongo then stripped the injured officer, put on his uniform, and attempted to impersonate prison personnel in order to escape. The effort triggered an immediate security response. “Thanks to the swift and coordinated response of our dedicated ZPCS SWAT team, canine section, and other correctional officers on duty at the court, the inmate was quickly apprehended after he was found hiding under sewer drain pipes at the Harare Magistrates Court,” Khanyezi stated.
A court official speaking to ZimLive suggested an alternative hiding spot, saying the convict was discovered “hiding behind wooden panels next to a corridor leading to magistrates’ offices,” and noted that “he had a bunch of keys on him. We suspect he took them from the prison officer.”
Madhongo, from Churu Farm in Glen View, is already serving between 38 and 45 years for unlawful entry, r@pe, and armed robbery, with varying reports placing the length of his sentence. Tuesday’s court appearance was linked to a new r@pe allegation. His brother, Simon Madhongo, was also previously jailed in connection with the same criminal spree.
The incident caused major disruption at the courthouse, prompting a lockdown and an intensive search involving sniffer dogs and armed officers. The ZPCS condemned the attack and escape attempt and promised to maintain strict security measures going forward.
