Three boys from Chinhoyi are lucky to live to tell the tale after miraculously escaping from the wrath of their abductors.
The minors, aged between 11 and 13, were abducted in a bush on the outskirts of Rusununguko suburb where they were hewing grass feed for rabbits.
According to a leaked internal police memorandum seen by NewZimbabwe.com an unidentified assailant pounced on the named victims all from Cherima suburb before force-marching them to a secluded area over 10 kilometres away.
“On the 27th day of December 2023 at around 0900 hours and at Rusununguko bushy area, three male juveniles (names and addresses withheld) went to the bush in Rusununguko to fetch rabbit feed (grass).
“Whilst they were busy gathering the grass they were approached by one unknown adult male who was holding a machete and he ordered them to walk in a single file in front of him and they complied for fear of their lives.
“He crossed Hunyani River with the kids and walked with them for a distance of about 11km until they reached a place in the bush where there was a parked black unregistered Caravan kombi,” reads the memo.
Upon arrival where the parked kombi was, there were two unknown male adults wearing black T-shirts, black trousers, black gumboots and black masks who disembarked from the vehicle holding three empty sacks and ropes and tied the complainants’ hand and legs.
“They then put victims in sacks and placed them in the vehicle which had no seats and drove for about two kilometers.
“The kombi stopped in the bush and the complainants were lifted from the kombi into a thick bush behind a hill, removed from the sacks and were made to sit down.”
Accused persons ordered complainants to undress, before demanding an Itel S16 cellphone from one of the victims.
The kidnappers’ plan was reportedly scuttled after they heard voices of women who were cutting firewood and proceeded in that direction to check.
One of them remained behind packing the complainants’ clothes. At this juncture, the boys connived to flee and bolted from the scene.
The matter was reported under (Report Received Book) RRB 570833 at ZRP Chikonohono Base, and police attended the scene.
Total value of stolen property was US$35 and nothing was recovered. NewZimbabwe.
