Online Reporter
Fidelis Munyoro
Chief Court Reporter
IN a heart-wrenching plea that echoes the struggles of many, a 75-year-old woman finds herself at the centre of a legal battle after being allegedly held hostage by a private hospital in Mutare.
Her son, Witness Mavambire, has turned to the High Court in a desperate bid to secure her freedom, claiming that Exclusive Medcare Hospital is refusing to release his mother, Marita Manyore, until a ballooning medical bill of over US$2 200 is paid in full.
This is a nightmare Mavambire never imagined.
“They are using her as a human lien,” he lamented in his urgent court application, filed on February 27, 2026.
He described that Manyore’s ordeal began on February 10, when she was referred to Exclusive Medcare Hospital by a physician for monitoring. At the time, it was the cheaper option among the suggested facilities.
Fortunately, her condition improved quickly, and by February 14, doctors deemed her fit to be discharged. But that is when the nightmare truly began.
Instead of being allowed to go home, Mavambire says his mother was effectively imprisoned.
The hospital demanded full payment of her medical bill then standing at US$ 1,070 before releasing her.
Mavambire, who only had US$200 at the time, begged for an installment plan, but the hospital allegedly refused.
As days turned into weeks, the bill spiralled out of control. By February 19, it had grown to US$1 440, and despite Mavambire managing to scrape together US$500, the hospital still refused to release his mother. On February 26, the bill had skyrocketed to US$2 200, leaving Mavambire in despair.
Mavambire recounts the disbelief and frustration he felt when the hospital’s director, identified as Ms M Makuwaza, told him his mother would not be released until the entire bill was paid.
“It became apparent that the respondent is now holding the applicant hostage,” he states in his affidavit.
His legal team, comprising Ms Peggy Tavagadza and Mr Tatenda Sigauke of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), has certified the case as urgent.
They argue that Manyore’s continued detention violates Section 50(7) of the Constitution, which allows anyone to approach the High Court if they believe someone is being unlawfully detained.
The family’s plight is not just about money. It is about principle, human dignity, and the emotional toll of watching a loved one suffer.
Manyore is no longer receiving treatment at the hospital, yet her bill continues to rise. Mavambire warns that the mounting costs are becoming out of reach for his family, and with every passing day, his mother’s health and their finances are further endangered.
“What’s worse,” he pleads, “is that the hospital suffers no prejudice. They can still sue for the debt, but holding my mother is cruel and unnecessary.”
Mavambire insists he is not trying to avoid paying the bill. What he seeks is fairness and compassion. “Constitutional rights cannot be suspended because of an unpaid bill,” he argues, urging the court to intervene before the situation spirals further out of control.
As the High Court deliberates on this urgent matter, the case raises broader questions about medical ethics and the legality of detaining patients over unpaid debts.
Manyore’s family, for now, can only hope that justice will prevail and that no one else will have to endure the pain of seeing a loved one turned into collateral.
Peter Tanyanyiwa