Masvingo — One of the two dangerous prisoners who escaped from Mutimurefu Prison has been re-arrested after a shootout with police in the Renco area, bringing an end to a week-long manhunt marked by alleged armed robberies, a home invasion and the hijacking of a village head’s car.
James Masunda, 34, was arrested on Friday, August 14, at Matsa Village in Renco in Masvingo, after detectives tracked him to a bush hideout in the mining area. He was wounded during the confrontation and was receiving treatment under police guard at Masvingo Provincial Hospital, according to details released after the operation.
His alleged accomplice, Tafadzwa Janyure Zimirenyika, 27, remains at large. Police have intensified the search for him and are appealing to anyone with information to report to the nearest police station. Members of the public have also been warned not to approach either man or attempt to capture the remaining fugitive themselves.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed Masunda’s arrest after the pair escaped from Mutimurefu Prison on August 8. Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the arrest followed a shootout at Matsa Village, where police officers were pursuing leads developed during the manhunt.
“The ZRP confirms the arrest of James Masunda (34), following a shoot-out on August 14, 2026, at Matsa Village, Renco, Masvingo,” Nyathi said.
Police investigations indicate that the two men allegedly carried out a series of armed robberies after fleeing the prison. The robberies were believed to have been aimed at obtaining clothes, food and cash as the fugitives moved through rural communities in Masvingo.
The escape triggered an urgent warning across the province because of the men’s criminal records. Zimirenyika was serving a life sentence after convictions involving murder, attempted murder, armed robbery and rape. He was also linked to a further 203 cases involving rape, robbery and murder and was awaiting trial on additional charges. Masunda was serving a lengthy sentence for rape and armed robbery.
“The two escaped today early in the morning and we have launched a manhunt for them,” Nyathi said in the initial warning issued after the escape.
“The criminals should be treated as very dangerous people and anyone with information about their whereabouts should inform the nearest police station,” he added.
Within days, residents in the area around Chief Chikwanda’s jurisdiction reported a series of frightening encounters. The fugitives were allegedly armed with machetes when they entered the home of Mediline Mudzingwa in Mudare Village while she was having dinner with her children and visitors.
One of the men allegedly stood at the kitchen window wearing a woollen hat and ordered everyone to lie down. His accomplice then entered the house, also carrying a machete. The men allegedly demanded US$1,000, claiming that they knew the money was kept in the home.
Mudzingwa said she told them she did not have the money. She said one of the men threatened to cut off her hands before taking cash, clothes and other items from the house.
“He threatened to cut my hands with a machete if I failed to give him the US$1 000. I told him he might cut my hands for nothing because I did not have the money and had never handled such a figure in my life. He took away US$20 from my purse and I showed him where the other money was and in total he took $173.” she said
The men allegedly took a pair of jeans, a jacket, a jersey and a satchel. One of them also entered the kitchen and took a knife. A smart phone was reportedly returned after one of the fugitives warned his accomplice that it might contain a tracking device.
The family were ordered into the main house and told to lock the door from inside. A few minutes later, Mudzingwa heard a neighbour shouting that thieves were in the area. When she looked through a window, she saw a vehicle being driven away from the nearby homestead of village head Jacob Moyo.
“After about four minutes, I heard my neighbour crying out, alerting people that there were thieves. I peeped through the window and saw Moyo’s car being driven away,” she said.
Moyo told police that he was asleep when a powerful torch was shone through his bedroom window at about 8pm. He said he woke to find one of the men standing close to his bedroom door. The door had been locked, and he believed it had been forced open with a heavy object.
“I was already asleep when I was awakened by a large torch shining into my face through the window. When I woke up, I saw one man standing near the door in my bedroom. I am still shocked by how they opened the door without me noticing it. It showed they used a heavy object since the doors were locked,” said Moyo.
The men allegedly demanded money and threatened to kill him when he said he had none. They then demanded the keys to his Toyota Vitz, which were hanging from a nail on the wall. The vehicle would not start because Moyo normally disconnected its battery when it was parked.
After being harassed, Moyo told the men how to open the bonnet and reconnect the battery. He then saw an opportunity to escape through a window and raised the alarm as the suspects drove away.
“While they were attending to the battery, I managed to escape through the window and shouted out that there were thieves. The suspects quickly drove out of the yard,” he said.
Businessmen and other motorists joined the pursuit. The chase continued for nearly 1km before the fugitives abandoned the vehicle near Chikwanda Primary School. Moyo said they ran away after seeing another vehicle approaching from the direction of Masvingo.
“They left the vehicle near Chikwanda Primary School after seeing a vehicle coming from the direction of Masvingo and ran away,” he said.
The incidents increased pressure on the police operation and raised concern among residents who feared that the fugitives could enter more homes in search of food, clothing or transport. Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed that the escapees were suspects in the incidents and urged residents to remain calm while providing information directly to law enforcement.
“People should stop using social media platforms to announce the presence of the two. They should contact the police immediately or community leaders like village heads or councillors so that they can notify the police quickly. Social media platforms will alert the fugitives,” he said.
The warning became particularly important as residents circulated reports of possible sightings. There were reports that the fugitives had been seen buying drinks and bread at Mageza Business Centre in Zaka, although that sighting was not confirmed by police. Investigators were also examining how the men moved between communities and whether they received assistance while they were on the run.
Masunda’s arrest followed that widening investigation. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department reportedly traced him to a bush location in the Renco mining area. Details released after the arrest said police used his wife to draw him out of hiding before moving in. A shootout followed, during which Masunda was seriously injured before being taken into custody.
He remained under police guard while receiving medical treatment. The arrest has allowed investigators to begin reconstructing the fugitives’ movements since August 8 and to establish the full extent of the alleged robberies committed during their time outside prison.
The focus has now shifted to Zimirenyika, whose alleged record includes convictions for serious violent crimes and a further 203 cases still before the courts. Police have appealed for information that could lead to his arrest, but have repeated that anyone who sees him should keep away and alert officers immediately.
For residents of the communities affected by the escape, the arrest of Masunda offers some relief, but the manhunt is not over. Police operations remain under way in Masvingo as officers work to locate the second escapee and return him to custody.