‘Prison has transformed my life’

ANYONE convicted of any crime in Zimbabwe can learn a trade in prison from which they can make an honest living after release.
All it takes is willingness to be rehabilitated to take advantage of the countless academic and hands-on courses offered free of charge at all the country’s prisons.

Honest Sibanda (18) from Old Pumula suburb, who has attained certificates in entrepreneurship and detergent making, is one of many examples of convicts who have committed to turning their lives around behind the walls.

He is serving at Bulawayo Prison for robbery.
The youngster has decided to utilise the time away from society to improve himself to a productive citizen and reduce chances of re-offending.

A B-Metro news crew last week caught up with Sibanda, who shared an inspirational story of how he is picking his life up from the doldrums with the help of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS)’s tailor-made programmes, designed to empower inmates.
It had looked like the end of the world when his uncle chucked him out of the house after discovering that he had become an unrepentant drug addict.
The impressionable Sibanda got into bad company and turned to burglary to feed his destructive addiction. “The journey of my life started when my uncle threw me out of the home. He discovered that I had started drinking alcohol while I was still at school.
“I moved in with one of my friends, who had a room at his parents’ home even though they had given up on him as well on allegations of drug abuse and burglary,” he said.

Sibanda said he was initiated into crime by his friend as their new source of survival since they had no one taking care of them.
“I felt like I was supposed to do everything he suggested, considering that I had nowhere to go.
“That fear gave this friend of mine an upper hand in my life so he took advantage of my situation and he introduced me to misdeeds.
“We committed various crimes in our community to raise funds to buy food as we had no one taking care of us because we were not formally employed,” he said.

He narrated how slacking at school caught up with him when he had become unemployable.
The inmate said sometime in July 2022 they teamed up with the two other guys to unleash a crime-wave in Pumula suburbs.
“We bumped into three innocent boys, who were taking a walk in Pumula East suburb. We terrorised them into giving up their cellphones and cash,” said Sibanda.
Lowering his voice in apparent shame, he narrated how he watched rooted to the spot while his gang robbed the boys.

“I did not like what we were doing but my colleagues threatened me with violence if I left the scene.”
He said his team melted from the scene, leaving him with the victims. When he had recovered sufficiently from the shock, Sibanda slunk away from the scene.
Unfortunately, a resident who witnessed the incident from a distance identified Sibanda.
“One of the residents managed to identify me as we were running away and a police report was made, leading to my arrest the next day,” he explained.
The inmate said police tried to ambush the other culprits but to no avail. The issue was taken to court and the victims positively identified him as one of the robbers.
“I tried to explain my situation to the court but they would not buy my story. The magistrate found me guilty. From the facts that were presented I was sentenced to two years imprisonment,” he said.

“When I got to Bulawayo Prison at first life was not easy as I had no one to support me from my family. But with the support of rehabilitation officers, I got counselling after I told them the story of my life.
“The rehabilitation officers shortlisted me for an entrepreneurship training short course and from that training, we were equipped with skills of running small projects,” he said.

The inmate said when the magistrate pronounced his two-year sentence, he felt like the death knell had sounded on his life.
However, with the support, he is getting from the prison service his life is slowly transforming for the best.
“Last week I was also allowed to train in detergent making. So, I am now able to apply the two skills I gained while serving in prison, to change my life.
“I admit I am still young and prison is not a good place for me but l would like to thank the management of Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) for considering me on such training to be a productive citizen,” he ended.