Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo will on the 1st of April make a ruling on jailed church leader, Robert Martin Gumbura and his nine accomplices’ application of discharge at the end of the state’s case following a full trial.
Gumbura and his co-accused are being accused of masterminding the flopped prison-break at Chikurubi Maximum Prison in 2015.
Gumbura, the leader of RMG Independent End Time Message Church and his accomplices Blessing Chauke (25), Lucky Mhungu (38), Taurai Dodzo (47), Thomas Chacha (37), Thulani Chizema (32), Jacob Sibanda (28) and Elijah Vhumbunu (38) and armed robber, Lucky Matambanadzo (39) had 24 people testifying against them in the matter.
The gang which engaged Professor Lovemore Madhuku to be its legal counsel will file their application on March 12 while the State through chief law officer Michael Reza will respond on March 22 before a ruling is made on the 1st of April.
The nine accused persons, who are facing charges of attempting to escape from lawful custody, incitement in aggravating circumstances or alternatively conspiracy in aggravating circumstances for malicious damage to property, are appearing before magistrate Francis Mapfumo .
Allegations are that on February 13, 2015 at around 9am, the inmates refused to eat porridge which had no sugar.
They demanded to see the officer-in-charge, a Chief Superintendent Marange, who then sent his deputy, a Superintendent Dumbura, to address them.
At that time, the inmates pushed out the food containers which had been brought for lunch, refusing to be addressed by Dumbura.
Dumbura left the complex’s C Hall and went to D Hall, where he ordered for food to be brought in and served to those who wanted to eat.
The court heard that before the food was served, Titus Mandikodza, who is now late, went on top of the roof through a hole in the asbestos sheets, which they had already drilled.
At that moment, it is alleged, Vhumbunu and Sibanda took sadza and vegetable relish and threw it at Dumbura and that is when violence erupted with prisoners vandalising property worth over $450 000.
