Inmates Chimombe and Mpofu Busted with Cellphones at Chikurubi, Prison Officers Implicated

Harare, Zimbabwe – Notorious inmates Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu, currently serving sentences at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison for corruption and fraud, were reportedly subjected to severe beatings by prison guards on Wednesday after being found in possession of mobile phones within their cells.

The incident has cast a spotlight on security breaches within the correctional facility and led to the dismissal of implicated prison officers.

Sources indicate that Chimombe and Mpofu, who were convicted in connection with the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme, had been under surveillance following intelligence suggesting they were actively communicating with external contacts and utilizing social media platforms from behind bars.

A dedicated monitoring team tracked their online activity, including WhatsApp and Facebook, where their active status (indicated by a green light) provided crucial evidence.

According to reports, the operation unfolded when Moses Mpofu was observed to be online. A team of prison officers promptly raided his cell, where an iPhone was recovered. Mpofu was then reportedly subjected to a severe beating, during which he disclosed that his associate, Mike Chimombe, also possessed a mobile phone.

Furthermore, he allegedly identified prison officers who were facilitating this illicit communication by safeguarding the phones during the day and returning them to the inmates at night.

Following Mpofu’s confession, a second team of guards raided Chimombe’s cell, where he was also found with an iPhone. He too was reportedly beaten extensively. Both inmates sustained injuries and required medical attention at the Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison hospital.

The investigation quickly extended to the implicated prison officers. Their living quarters within the prison compound were searched, leading to the alleged recovery of iPhone chargers, which were purportedly used to power the smuggled devices during daylight hours. A disciplinary tribunal was convened last Friday, resulting in the officers being found guilty of misconduct and subsequently dismissed from the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service.

The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service, operating under the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, is now reportedly in discussions with relevant authorities regarding the potential withdrawal of remission previously granted to Chimombe and Mpofu.

Remission, a system that allows for sentence reduction based on good behavior and compliance with prison regulations, is now under review due to the serious nature of the breach.

Chimombe and Mpofu were incarcerated after being convicted of defrauding the State through a corrupt livestock supply tender linked to the Presidential Goat Pass-On Scheme.

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Mpofu received an effective 15-year jail term (22 years with eight suspended), while Chimombe was sentenced to an effective 12 years (17 years with five suspended). While they have appealed their convictions and sentences, this latest development is unlikely to influence the merits or legality of their original case.

A senior prison source, speaking to Nehanda Radio, emphasized the gravity of such security breaches, stating that they are treated as serious disciplinary and potentially criminal matters. Such incidents, the source noted, undermine institutional control, compromise safety, and challenge the integrity of custodial sentences.

The source added that unauthorized communication can facilitate further criminal activities, witness interference, corruption, or jeopardize security operations.

The prison service is currently analyzing the communications made by the two prisoners and their contacts to ascertain if additional crimes were committed.