Victoria Falls teen jumps from moving taxi to escape kidnapping.

A 19-year-old Victoria Falls woman jumped from a moving vehicle after a local taxi driver allegedly kidnapped her and drove towards Bulawayo Road instead of taking her home.
This emerged on Monday when Prosper Sibanda (28) appeared before Victoria Falls Magistrate Ms Fadzai Dzimiri charged with kidnapping or unlawful detention.
He was remanded to Wednesday for sentencing.

The court heard that on May 21, 2026, at around 3pm, Sibanda was driving a silver Honda Fit when he picked up the complainant, Florence Piyo (19), at the Victoria Falls Hospital bus stop.

Prosecutor, Ms Audrey Mukanganya, told the court that Piyo resides at Mkhosana suburb and is not employed while Sibanda also resides at Mkhosana and the two are not related.

“On the 21st day of May 2026 at around 3pm, the accused person was driving a Honda Fit registration number AG16108 silver in colour.
“The accused person reached Victoria Falls Hospital bus stop and picked up the complainant,” she said.

“The complainant told the accused person that her destination was Mkhosana Payless Shopping Centre and the accused person agreed.
“The accused person then drove his motor vehicle towards Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road instead of turning at Mkhosana Turn off, which is a road which leads to Mkhosana Payless Shopping Centre.

“The complainant asked the accused person where she was taking her but instead he rebuked her and continued driving his car along Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Road heading towards the Airport direction,” said the prosecutor.

“The complainant then jumped off the moving vehicle after realising that she was being driven to an unknown destination. The complainant later made a report to the police leading to the arrest of the accused person.”
Ms Mukanganya said the complainant sustained injuries after jumping off the moving motor vehicle, and was medically examined, and a medical report can be produced in court as an exhibit.
“The accused person acted unlawfully,” she said.The teenager sustained injuries from the jump and was treated at a local hospital.
In a separate matter before the same court, a jealous husband who struck a man three times on the head with an axe handle over an alleged affair was convicted and sentenced to 17 months in prison.

Khawulani Nyathi (58) appeared before Magistrate Mr Tinashe Bushu charged with assault.
In this case, Ms Mukanganya told the court that on April 2, 2026, at around 8pm, at Jabula Tuck Shop in Victoria Falls, Nyathi unlawfully committed an act of assault upon Austin Ncube by hitting him three times on the head with an axe handle, intending to cause him bodily harm.

“On 2 April 2026 at around 8 pm, the complainant was drinking beer at Jabula tuck shop in the company of his friends. The accused person emerged from the darkness and struck the complainant three times with an axe handle on the head,” she said.

“The complainant managed to disarm the accused person of the axe and the accused person then went away. The complainant reported the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused person.

“The complainant is still admitted at hospital and a medical report is yet to be produced. The accused person acted unlawfully,” said Ms Mukanganya.
Magistrate Bushu found Nyathi guilty and sentenced him to 17 months’ imprisonment, of which seven months were suspended.

The complainant remains admitted to hospital.