Story by Parvel Makona
THE trial of a 38-year-old man accused of kidnapping a former employee continued at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, with the complainant telling the court he delayed reporting the alleged offence because he feared for his life.
Simbarashe Emmanuel Martin Rondozai is facing one count of kidnapping as defined in Section 93 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. He has not yet been called upon to plead because four other suspects linked to the alleged offence are still at large.
During cross-examination by defence counsel Mr Oliver Marwa, complainant Tafadzwa Mutanda confirmed that he returned from South Africa on 16 December 2025 but only reported the matter to police on 19 February 2026.
Mutanda told the court that although nothing had physically happened to him during that period, he remained fearful following the alleged abduction.
He said he first met the owner of Real Star Security on 12 February 2026 before reporting the matter to police a week later, adding that he had been advised to do so after raising the issue with the company’s management.
“I was afraid, and I am still afraid up to today. I reported the case on my own after I was advised to speak to the police,” Mutanda testified.
Mutanda denied fabricating claims that he had informed the company’s management about the alleged kidnapping. He maintained that Rondozai, the company owner and another official identified as Mary were present during the meeting.
He told the court that he informed management that Rondozai and five other men had allegedly abducted and assaulted him, but claimed his complaint was dismissed.
The defence challenged Mutanda over omissions in his police statement, arguing that it did not mention the meeting with management or his alleged report to company officials. Mutanda maintained that police had omitted some details from his statement.
“I don’t know how the police wrote things, but they left out some things,” he said.
Mr Marwa also questioned Mutanda about alleged inconsistencies between his police statement and his oral testimony regarding the number of times the vehicle allegedly stopped during the incident and where he had been seated inside it.
Mutanda maintained that his statement did not capture everything that had happened but insisted he was able to identify Rondozai before being blindfolded because they had previously worked together.
He further testified that Rondozai had once sent him to collect US$30,000 while they were working together, although he maintained that his former employer had no interest in the criminal proceedings.
Proceedings were briefly interrupted after the State objected to questions by the defence alleging that representatives of Mutanda’s former employer were monitoring the trial.
The matter was adjourned to continue later on Wednesday afternoon.
