Online Reporter
Court Correspondent
A former corporate manager who kidnapped and assaulted a former workmate in a bid to prevent him from exposing alleged fraudulent activities at their company has been jailed for 42 months.
Simbarashe Emmanuel Martin Rondozai was sentenced to 48 months in prison by Harare magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai, with six months suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving him with an effective 42-month jail term.
In sentencing Rondozai, Mr Kuhudzai took into account the seriousness of the offence and the impact of the kidnapping on the complainant, Mr David Matanda.
The court heard that Mr Matanda’s livelihood and ability to provide for his family were affected after he was forced to flee the country for several months, fearing for his life.
Prosecutor Ms Monalisa Magwenzi told the court that Rondozai had a motive to kidnap Mr Matanda because the complainant had information concerning alleged fraudulent activities at the company.
She said the kidnapping was intended to intimidate the complainant and prevent him from disclosing information relating to alleged fraud and misappropriation of company funds.
Ms Magwenzi further submitted that forensic evidence extracted from Rondozai’s cellphone did not exonerate him from the offence.
During the trial, the State called Mr Matanda’s 17-year-old brother and his wife, Ms Catherine Satande, as witnesses.
The State’s case was that Rondozai, together with four accomplices who remain at large, kidnapped and assaulted Mr Matanda in May last year in an attempt to silence him and prevent him from exposing the alleged financial misconduct at their security company.
Following the attack, Mr Matanda fled to South Africa, where he remained for several months.
He returned to Zimbabwe on December 16, 2025, and subsequently reported the matter to the police on February 19 this year.
The State successfully argued that the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping, coupled with the evidence led during the trial, established Rondozai’s involvement in the offence.
