Beitbridge Prosecutor Allegedly Kidnapped Three Men, Tortured Them & Ruptured One Man’s Kidney

PROSECUTOR in Beitbridge allegedly kidnapped three men and tortured them until one of them ruptured a kidney after accusing the trio of stealing from his house. Muchiwande Forbes Sithole, 35, allegedly went on the warpath when he found that his house had been broken into and property worth R7,300 had been stolen.

He allegedly teamed up with two people, who were not named in court, to severely assault Knowledge Mike, Gabriel Choruwa and Clemence Moyo, who is visually impaired.

Sithole yesterday pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, two counts of assault and one of kidnapping when he appeared before Masvingo Regional magistrate, Collet Ncube, who is at the Beitbridge Magistrate court.

Ncube heard how Choruwa nearly died after one of his kidneys burst during a prolonged assault. Moyo and Mike were the first to lead State evidence while Choruwa is expected to testify today.

Sithole said he was a victim of a grand plan to victimise him and tarnish his image. He said the complainants were mere pawns in the scheme. Masvingo senior prosecutor Elson Chavarika told the court that during the night of September 8 last year, there was a burglary at Sithole’s house and an assortment of property which included football boots, grocery items and blankets were stolen.

He said on September 15, Sithole got a tip off that Moyo and Mike were selling his stolen property at a flea market at Dulibadzimu bus terminus.

Chavarika said Sithole identified the football boots which the duo was selling as part of his stolen property and effected a citizen’s arrest.

“Sithole, who was with two unknown men, ordered Moyo and Mike into his vehicle and drove to their house where he assaulted them until they implicated John Navhaya as the source of the stolen property,” said Chavarika.

He said Sithole drove the two to Navhaya’s house. “He effected a citizen’s arrest on Navhaya as well,” said Chavarika. The court heard how Sithole and his accomplices forced Navhaya to tell them where the rest of the stolen property was and Navhaya implicated Choruwa.

“Sithole teamed up with his accomplices and kidnapped Choruwa whom they assaulted demanding to know where the rest of the property was,” said Chavarika.

He said Sithole and his crew drove with Choruwa for about 40km along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo road where they repeatedly assaulted him until he ruptured his kidney.

“They handed over the injured Choruwa to the police for detention. Choruwa was rushed to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo where doctors, among other things, determined that he had sustained impaired renal function as a result of the severe beating and potentially life threatening muscle damage,” said Chavarika.

Choruwa’s relatives reported the matter to the police resulting in Sithole’s arrest. Source: chronicle