Story by Peter Chivhima
A duo from Epworth has been slapped with a nine-month prison term for kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in a bizarre attempt to initiate her into some spiritual practice.
The two, Fortunate Anesu Nyandoro (30) and Tadiwanashe Benjamin (25), are from the Green Valley area in Epworth.
The court heard that the victim, who had been staying with her aunt in Epworth, visited the duo’s home on September 25, 2025, claiming she had fled from her aunt, who allegedly wanted her to drink some herbs.
Instead of notifying her guardians, Nyandoro and Benjamin kept the victim at their home and attempted to induct her into a “manjuzu” cult.
When the girl’s family searched for her, the two pretended not to know her whereabouts.
A tip-off on October 3, 2025, led police to the house, where the child was found drugged.
Nyandoro and Benjamin were convicted after a full trial when they appeared at Epworth Magistrates Court on October 7, 2025.
