George Emmanuel International School director due ...

George Emmanuel International School director due for sentencing today for kidnapping and assault

Michael Mashiri

The Director of George Emmanuel International School in Nyabira, who allegedly kidnapped and assaulted the complainant and made him to work at his house, has been found guilty.

Leonard Chiwaya, 56, appeared before magistrate Caroline Matanga charged with kidnapping and assault.

The complainant in this matter is Tinotenda Sephani, 22, of Mabvuku.

Chiwaya will be back in court today for sentencing.

Chiwaya was accused of kidnapping Sephani, who had come to install lights at the school.

The State, through prosecutor Takudzwa Chitenderu, alleges that Chiwaya kidnapped Sephani after he falsely accused him of stealing three laptops and pairs of school shoes.

“The accused in the company of Taziva, another accused who is at large, escorted the complainant from George Emmanuel International School to one of the accused’s house in Goodhope, Harare.

Upon arrival, the complainant was locked inside a small room and spent the whole night in the room.

On March 7, 2023, the accused’s wife ordered the complainant to clean the yard the whole day as punishment for stealing the laptops and school shoes.

“After performing these duties, the accused then ordered the complainant to be locked in the same room as a way of restricting movement. The accused ordered the complainant to perform these duties until March 8. On the next day, the complainant was ferried from Goodhope to Bluffhill in Marlborough where he performed duties at the accused’s wife’s younger sister’s home up to around 1600 hours,” Chiwaya said.

The State also told the court that when Chiwaya’s wife confronted Sephani over the stolen goods, he denied stealing them, leading to the accused slapping him on the face.

Sephani is said to have managed to escape while at Chiwaya’s sister-in-law’s home and fled to Westgate where he later filed a police report.

In her ruling, magistrate Matanga noted that Chiwaya, who was involved in the theft at the school, had used the kidnapping to try and pin the crime onto Sephani.

“The State called three witnesses, one being the complainant. He said the accused assaulted him and he was made to work without pay. The complainant told the court that he asked the accused to take him to the police station but he took him to his house. The court will note that it saw fresh wounds on the complainant and upon asking, he said he had been assaulted by the accused and his son.

“The court will note that from the evidence the complainant was detained against his will and the same constitutes elements of kidnapping. The will court will also note that the accused had a reason to assault the complainant as he had been implicated in the matter and hence there was motive to assault and kidnap the complainant. In light of these, the accused is found guilty of kidnapping and assault,” Matanga said.