Online Reporter
Court Correspondent
The trial of a former corporate manager accused of kidnapping and assaulting his subordinate last year has been postponed to July 30 after the defence lawyer failed to make it to court on the second day of proceedings this week.
Testifying on the first day before the matter was adjourned, the complainant, David Matanda, told the court that he delayed reporting the case to police as he feared for his life.
Under cross-examination by the defence attorney Mr Oliver Marwa, Matanda said he only mustered enough courage to approach the police two months after his return from self-imposed exile in South Africa.
Matanda left the courtroom in stitches when he accused Mr Marwa of repeating questions he had previously answered.
The accused is Simbarashe Emmanuel Martin Rondozai (38) who is facing one count of kidnapping.
Matanda said he returned from South Africa on December 16, 2025 and finally made a police report on February 19, 2026.
He told the court that although nothing had physically happened to him after his return from exile, he remained traumatised by his alleged abduction in May 2025.
Matanda said on February 12 this year, he revealed the alleged abduction to senior managers at Real Star Security where he formerly worked, and was advised to report the matter to police, which he did a week later.
“I was afraid, and I am still afraid up to today. I reported the case after I was advised to speak to the police,” he said.
Asked to explain inconsistencies between his police statement and his oral testimony, Matanda said police could have omitted some details from his initial statement.
“I don’t know how the police wrote things, but they left out some information, “ he said.
Matanda insisted that he was able to identify Rondozai before he was blindfolded because they had worked together for a long time.
Magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai deferred the matter to July 30 after Mr Marwa failed to appear for the defendant on the second day of proceedings this week.
According to the State’s outline, Rondozai and four alleged accomplices who are still at large committed the offences in May 2025, in Chitungwiza.
Matanda was allegedly abducted from his Zengeza 5 residence after two of Rondozai’s accomplices masqueraded as police officers.
The five suspects allegedly assaulted, handcuffed and blindfolded Matanda before driving him away in a silver Honda Fit vehicle.
Court papers state that while unlawfully detained for eight hours, Rondozai ordered Matanda not to implicate him in any misappropriation of funds at Real Star Security company where the two previously worked together.
The complainant was also asked to explain how the security company provided security to its directors.
Matanda was allegedly threatened with unspecified action if he reported the kidnapping and assault to police or if he implicated Rondozai in any fraud case.
After the kidnapping and assault, the suspects allegedly dumped Matanda near a bridge along New Chitungwiza Road.
Fearing for his life, Matanda reportedly fled to South Africa and only returned home in December 2025.
