The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
A 37-year-old woman who is serving nine years at Mutimurefu Prison in Masvingo has called upon other women to shun criminal acts as this results in disintegration of families when one is sent to prison.
Svodai Nevhunjeri of Gutu, Masvingo and her husband were jailed for stock theft four years ago leaving their six children with no one to look after them. Giving her testimony during the National Women and Girls Festival conference held in Bikita last week, Nevhunjeri said she was not able to fend for her family anymore.
“I was arrested together with my husband after we were involved in stock theft and I want to urge other young women that they should not commit crime because you will leave your children living as orphans.
You will be working in prison for nothing, while no one is working for our children. We have our prison officers who counsel us and teach us life skills such as hair plaiting, sewing and poultry,” she said.
Ms Nevhunjeri said she was sentenced to nine years and has already served four years. She said she wishes to put into practice that which she has learnt to sustain her livelihood post-jail time,
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Ezra Chadzamira said inmates encounter the challenge of not being accepted back in the communities.
“From the testimony that we have been given by the women inmate from Mutimurefu shows that there are facing many challenges in prisons but they also encounter challenges of being accepted back into the community by their relatives and others members of the community,” he said.
