A Chitungwiza woman has shared a harrowing account in the Harare magistrates court of how she watched her husband being bundled into a silver Honda Fit by men she believed were genuine police officers.
Catherine Satande, the wife of David Matanda (35), testified that she failed to report her husband’s abduction immediately because the suspects had successfully masqueraded as law enforcement.
The revelation came during the ongoing trial of Simbarashe Emmanuel Martin Rondozai (38), who is facing charges of kidnapping and assault.
The prosecution alleged that Rondozai orchestrated the May 2025 abduction to silence Matanda—who had worked under him for five years—and prevent him from exposing fraudulent activities at a local security company.
Satande told the court that she and her brother-in-law, Rufaro, witnessed the assault at their Chitungwiza residence.
She described how one of the suspects, who was sporting a beard, assaulted her husband before forcing him into the getaway car.
The court heard that following the incident, a terrified Matanda fled to South Africa in fear for his life.
During his months in self-imposed exile, he remained in contact with his wife using an aunt’s mobile phone while relatives assisted Satande in providing for their children.
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Matanda eventually returned to Zimbabwe on December 16, 2025, and officially filed a police report on February 19, 2026.
Under cross-examination by defense lawyer Oliver Marwa, Satande maintained that the misrepresentation by the suspects was the only reason she did not seek police intervention sooner.
Rondozai is facing one count of kidnapping as defined in the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Four other suspects linked to the crime remain at large.
The accused is also entangled in a separate legal battle where he is alleged to have defrauded Wellcash Debt Collectors of nearly US$11 000 in 2024.
In that case, it is claimed he failed to remit money recovered from debtors and even transferred a portion of the embezzled funds to his unsuspecting mother.
Magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai has postponed the kidnapping matter to August 19.
The fraud case is scheduled to be heard by Harare provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo on August 14.
