Online Reporter
Court Correspondent
The trial of a Harare man accused of kidnapping and assaulting a former workmate resumed this week with the witness telling the court that she did not report the matter to police as some of the alleged abductors posed as law enforcement officers.
Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer Mr Oliver Marwa of Tabana and Marwa Legal Practitioners, the complainant’s wife, Catherine Satande, said based on the misrepresentation, she believed the suspects were genuine police officers.
Mr Marwa is representing one of the five suspects, Simbarashe Emmanuel Martin Rondozai (38), who is alleged to have kidnapped and assaulted David Matanda (35) in May last year in a bid to stop him from revealing fraudulent activities at a local security company.
The complainant worked under the supervision of the suspect for more than five years.
Satande said although she could not remember the specific date of the alleged abduction, she was certain that it happened in May 2025.
Satande said she witnessed her husband being taken away in a silver Honda Fit from their Chitungwiza residence.
Satande insisted that her husband fled to South Africa because he feared for his life, adding that during his time in self-imposed exile, Matanda would use an aunt’s phone to communicate with her.
She said one of the suspects who assaulted her husband before bundling him into the car was sporting a beard.
Asked how she managed to fend for the children during her husband’s flight, Satande said she got assistance from relatives.
According to prosecutors, Rondozai committed the offence in an attempt to cover up misappropriation of funds at the security company.
The complainant’s brother, Rufaro, is also said to have witnessed the assault and abduction.
Magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai postponed the matter to August 19 for continuation. He is alleged to have committed the offence together with four other suspects who are still at large.
According to the State outline, Matanda returned from South Africa on December 16, 2025 and finally made a police report on February 19, 2026.
Meanwhile, Rondozai is facing a separate charge of defrauding another local company, Wellcash Debt Collectors, of nearly US$11 000 in 2024.
He allegedly failed to remit to the company money recovered from debtors on behalf of creditors.
Rondozai allegedly transferred some of the embezzled money to his unsuspecting mother.
The matter is pending before Harare Provincial Magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo and will be heard again on August 14.
