Online Reporter
Court Correspondent
A HARARE man accused of defrauding his former employer of nearly US$11 000 is set to stand trial at the Harare Magistrates Court on July 1, while also facing a separate trial on allegations of kidnapping and assaulting a key witness in another fraud investigation.
Simbarashe Emmanuel Martin Rondozai (38) will appear before the court in two separate matters after the cases were split by the Judiciary.
In the first matter, Rondozai is facing a charge of theft of trust property after allegedly converting US$10 811 entrusted to Wellcash Debt Collectors for the benefit of clients to his personal use.
The complainant is Mr Cephas Shingirayi Ngorima, representing the company.
According to court papers, none of the allegedly stolen funds has been recovered.
In the second matter, Rondozai is charged with kidnapping or unlawful detention following allegations that he orchestrated the abduction and assault of a former subordinate, David Matanda (35), whom he allegedly believed could provide evidence against him in another fraud probe.
The State alleges that after learning he was under investigation for fraud at Real Star Security, where he previously worked as a manager, Rondozai devised a plan to intimidate Matanda, a potential witness.
Prosecutors say that in May 2025, Rondozai and four accomplices who remain at large travelled to Matanda’s residence in Zengeza, Chitungwiza, in a silver Honda Fit.
It is alleged that while Rondozai remained in the vehicle with two accomplices, the other two approached the house pretending to be police officers.
When Matanda responded to the knock, he was allegedly informed that he was under arrest for an unspecified offence and escorted to the waiting vehicle, where he recognised Rondozai, whom he had worked under for eight years.
The court heard that Matanda was allegedly assaulted, handcuffed and forced into the vehicle before being blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location.
There, prosecutors allege, he was held captive for approximately eight hours and repeatedly assaulted while being interrogated about operations at Real Star Security.
The alleged intimidation did not end there.
According to the State, in January this year, after learning that Matanda had returned to Chitungwiza following a period in hiding in South Africa, the suspects allegedly dispatched a man identified only as “Cloud” or “Mwendamberi” to threaten him further.
The messenger allegedly instructed Matanda to go back into hiding.
Fearing for his safety, Matanda reported the matter to the police on February 19, leading to Rondozai’s arrest.
