Kidnap earns man prison term

Bindura magistrate Mr Felix Mawadze convicted Christopher Zungu (50) of kidnapping after the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He slapped him with 12 months imprisonment, but suspended three months on condition of good behaviour.
The State led by Mr Blessing Mutsago proved that on March 20 this year, Zungu called his niece who was playing with her friend to come to his house and she complied.
He gave her supper but she refused.
Zungu then gave the girl some blankets and told her to sleep in the kitchen.
The girl’s grandmother Ms Moud Zungu, who was lawful custodian of the child, looked for the girl and failed to locate her.
She reported the matter to the village head.
A search team was organised that same night by the village head and Zungu was also part of the search team despite knowing that the child was at his house.
Zungu had detained his niece over night for unknown reasons and the following day released her at around 6am and warned her not to tell anyone about what had happened.
He further ordered the girl to hide in her grandmother’s maize field adjacent to Zungu’s residence.