The trial of a Harare man accused of kidnapping and assaulting his former subordinate in a bid to cover up a fraud case will continue on August 4, following testimony from the complainant's wife this week.
Catherine Satande told Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai how her husband, David Matanda, was allegedly abducted from the couple's home in Chitungwiza in May 2025. Satande stated that her husband was missing for nearly eight hours and returned home in great pain, allegedly inflicted by the suspect, Simbarashe Emmanuel Martin Rondozai (38), and his accomplices.
Rondozai is alleged to have committed the offence in a bid to stop Matanda from "lifting the lid" on a fraud case at a local private security company. Responding to questions from the prosecution, Satande admitted that she did not personally know Rondozai before the alleged incident. She said she saw two of her husband’s alleged abductors, who assaulted him before bundling him into a silver Honda Fit vehicle at around 9pm. Satande said she was too afraid to go near the vehicle but could tell there were more individuals inside.
She said her husband’s brother, Rufaro, also witnessed the assault and abduction.
Satande said when Matanda returned home at around 4am, he told her that one of the assailants was Rondozai, his former supervisor at work. The court heard that after the kidnapping and assault, Matanda fled to his sister's house in Concession where he stayed for a week before going into self-imposed exile in South Africa.
Rondozai is facing one count of kidnapping, as defined in Section 93 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
He is alleged to have committed the offence together with four other suspects who are still at large.
According to the state outline, Matanda returned home on December 16, 2025.
Rondozai is also facing a separate charge of defrauding another local company, Wellcash Debt Collectors, of nearly US$11 000 in 2024.
He allegedly converted to his own use money recovered by the company from debtors which was supposed to be remitted to creditors.
Rondozai will appear before Harare provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo again on August 14. He is being represented by lawyer Oliver Marwa.