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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
THREE men from Beitbridge have been arrested after they allegedly kidnapped a 16-year-old boy and held him hostage for six days accusing him of stealing their cattle.
Charity Sibanda (58), Thikalatali Manyayi (48) and Piason Siziba (52) all of Majini Village, Zezani, allegedly kidnapped Mqhelisi Ncube from his home in Railway Block, West Nicholson and kept him locked up in one of their homes. Sibanda, Manyayi and Siziba pleaded not guilty to a charge of kidnapping when they appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Mr Mark Dzira.
They were remanded out of custody to June 18 on $100 bail each for judgement.
In their defence, the trio denied kidnapping the complainant. They said the complainant voluntarily went with them to the police station after confessing that he knew where the missing cattle were.
They said police officers at Makhado Police Station advised them to return after two days as it was a weekend. The trio said they looked for a place to stay in the community and when they returned to the police station after two days they were shocked to hear that a kidnapping case had been opened against them.
Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said on November 21 last year at around 8AM, the trio went to Plot 43 Railway Block looking for their stolen cattle. They apprehended the complainant and tied his hands and legs with a rope and demanded information on the whereabouts of the missing cattle.
Mr Shoko said the trio put the complainant in a car and left with him while they searched for the missing cattle in different plots. They continued the search on the following day with the complainant still in their custody.
He said Sibanda took the complainant and detained him at his homestead until November 27 where they took him to Makhado Police Station and handed him over to the cops. — @DubeMatutu.
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