Arron Nyamayaro
COMEDIENNE and musician Mai TT was released from Chikurubi Female Prison yesterday following the quashing of her conviction and sentence by the High Court on Monday.
Mai TT’s parents, relatives, friends and her dog spent most of yesterday at the prison entrance anticipating her quick release, but she was only set free at dusk.
Mai TT’s lawyer Tafadzwa Byron Muvhami told H-Metro that the processing of her release documents was delayed by the prison’s old system.
“It took me the whole day to conclude the processing of documents for my client to be released,” said Muvhami.
“Prisons are yet to adjust to a new system introduced for quick processing of documents.
“I had to run to the High Court and Chikurubi Female Prison with documents, otherwise she could have been released two days later after being acquitted of theft of trust property.
“We successfully won the appeal against conviction and sentence and we are happy that Mai TT has been found not guilty and released,” said Muvhami.
Mai TT said her imprisonment was divine and allowed her to learn about the lives of women in prison.
She said she had more time to pray and fast and is looking forward to fasting in a way that will see her not becoming too attached to her mobile phone or social media.
“My imprisonment was divine since I advocate women’s rights. It affected me in the first days, but with the help of prison counsellors, I came to realise that I provoked God the time I visited Chikurubi Female Prison donating food and sanitary wear.
“I pleaded with prison authorities to be allowed to taste prison cell life then.
“They refused saying it was unconstitutional. But God used someone to facilitate my imprisonment and I got there when I had forgotten my demands.
“I learnt much in prison and thank God for taking me through a sour process for a noble and divine cause,” said Mai TT.
The quashing of her conviction and sentence came after she had spent 63 days behind bars.
She had been sentenced to an effective nine months imprisonment in June.