Online Reporter
Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI and Muchaneta Chimuka in HARARE
THREE toddlers – one aged two, the other aged three-months and the other aged just six-weeks – were snatched from their mothers in Banket and Chitungwiza.
The three-month-old baby was snatched at home in Banket after the mother was fooled, by a stranger, that her husband was having fun with another woman in the town.
The two-year-old boy, and her four-weeks-old sister, were snatched in dramatic fashion in Chitungwiza by a relative and taken to Murehwa.
It is alleged that a 38–year–old woman, Nonmatter Vambe, who snatched them, wanted to deceive her boyfriend by making him believe she had given birth to a baby girl.
Nonmatter is the grandmother of the two toddlers.
She fooled her daughter-in-law, Precious Mutisi, 22, by claiming that she wanted to buy her a gas tank.
But, what Precious did not know was that her mother-in-law had an evil plan and disappeared with her two children and took them to Murehwa.
However, the children were reunited with their mother after four days of a manhunt by the police.
While, there was relief in Chitungwiza, another mother is praying for the safe return of her baby, named Tatiana, who was snatched from a house in Banket.
Mashonaland West provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Ian Kohwera, confirmed the incident.
He said it occurred at House Number 753, Magamba Way, Banket, on Sunday.
Insp Kohwera said the child’s mother, Lynet Mukome, was at home when an unknown woman told her that she had seen her husband in the company of another woman at Labana Houses.
Lynet left her home, at about 7,30pm, and headed to Labana Houses.
She left her two children – the three-month-old baby and three-year-old child – at home as they were both asleep.
That was the last she saw her three-month-old baby.
Lynet told H-Metro she drama started when a woman called her.
“When I went outside, I could not see anyone and was about to return indoors when I heard her calling me again.
“This time, I saw her standing some distance near the gate.
“She told me to come with her because she wanted to show me my husband’s infidelity.
“I told her my baby was already asleep and that I could not leave the child.”
She said the woman persisted and even told her they could use an alternative route because she didn’t want to be seen as the one who had sold out Lynet’s husband.
“I eventually followed her but when we got to the area she had mentioned, I became confused.
“I searched for my husband but failed to find him.”
Lynet said she then went to look for her husband at the nearby shops, where she found him.
The couple then returned home together.
Then, she was confronted by horror.
“I checked where the baby had been sleeping and discovered she was gone.
“I immediately asked my husband whether he had seen the baby when we returned.
“At first, we thought she might have cried and had been taken by the people we were staying with.”
However, the people they share the house with, and their neighbours, said they had not taken the child.
“That is when I remembered the woman who had lured me away from the house.
“We immediately went to the police and filed a missing child report.
“To the person who took my baby, I humbly beg you to return her.
“Even if you leave her at the gate of a police station, it will allow me to be reunited with my child.”
A Banket resident, Christopher Jamu, said the incident has left the little farming community in shock.
“It is very heartbreaking for the community to hear about such a sensitive incident happening in our small town,” said Jamu.
“As a community, it is difficult to come to terms with such a situation.
“It feels like a bad dream but, unfortunately, it really happened,”
He added:
“Many of us only heard about the story nearly five hours after the child had gone missing.
“I also urge parents and guardians to closely monitor their children, whether they are going to school in the morning or playing around the yard during the day.
“It is important to know their whereabouts at all times and ensure they are safely home before nightfall.”
Meanwhile, in Chitungwiza, Nonmatter Vambe (38), of 2227 Magamba, Murehwa, was arrested after disappearing with another woman’s two babies.
She appeared before Chitungwiza Magistrate Batsirai Madzingira, who sentenced her to 12 months’ imprisonment, of which eight months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
The State, led by prosecutor, Shamiso Charmaine Mwapangira, revealed that on May 28, at around 9am, Nonmatter contacted her daughter–in–law, Precious Mutisi (22), of number 15207 Budiriro 5B, Harare.
She asked to meet her in the Harare CBD.
Nonmatter told Precious that she wanted to buy her a gas stove.
Precious said she did not have bus fare and the money was sent to her via her Ecocash wallet.
When she arrived in the CBD, her mother-in-law told her she could no longer travel from her home in Chitungwiza.
She asked her to come to Chitungwiza, instead.
Precious disembarked at the Chitungwiza Magistrate Court and advised Nonmatter and asked her to come and pick them.
During the night, Precious slept with her two minor children while Nonmatter slept with her boyfriend.
The following day, Nonmatter requested to take the two children out since she claimed she wanted to be with them as she escorted her boyfriend, who was going back to his home.
Nonmatter had already lied to her boyfriend that the six-week child was her baby.
She never returned with the two kids.
After some time, Precious tried to contact Nonmatter but to no avail.
She then reported the case of her missing kids to the police.
Nonmatter was arrested at Chitate Village, under Chief Mangwende, in Murehwa.
Precious was then taken to Murehwa Police Station where she reunited with her children.
