Zimpapers Logo

Residents suspected the man is part of a gang responsible for a spate of break-ins that occurred in New Magwegwe and Njube on the same day, getting away with cellphones and cash.

They said the gang “gassed” victims to ensure they did not wake up during robberies.

The situation was tense in Makokoba yesterday where angry youths declared they did not want to see strangers in the area.

Residents were divided with some saying the child could have been kidnapped for ritual purposes while others felt it was for Satanism.

The kidnapper released the child unharmed after taking her to Mazayi River where he forced her to lie down on the smelly muddy bank.

“We can deal with break-ins but when they extend to snatching children, we draw the line. We are determined to get to the bottom of the matter. If we see any suspicious looking persons, we will deal with them. Witchcraft or Satanism will not be tolerated here,” said a youth who only identified himself as Mandla.

The child’s grandmother, Mrs Marah Sibanda (62) of 1039 Makokoba, wept as she narrated the harrowing experience.

“I was fast asleep at about 3.45am when I heard my granddaughter crying. At first I thought she had left the bed and was in the sitting room. I called out her name and when she went on crying, I went to investigate,” said Mrs Sibanda.

She said she was scared out of her wits when she realised the child was outside.

“I opened the door and she was standing there, trembling with her clothes wet and dirty. I nearly collapsed as I suspected the worst,” she said.

Mrs Sibanda said the child told her a man had opened the window and grabbed her from the bed.

“She said the man covered her mouth and ran with her to the river where he forced her to lie down. After a few minutes the man suddenly stood up and said Futseki, akuhambe ngini, before running away,” said Mrs Sibanda.

She is convinced God intervened but residents suspect that a passerby could have disturbed the man forcing him to run away.

Mrs Sibanda said: “Doctors at Mpilo Central Hospital examined the child and confirmed that she had not been raped.”

Meanwhile, thieves reportedly broke into at least six houses in New Magwegwe and another one in Njube and stole cellphones and cash.

Mrs Lavender Gatsheni (67) of House Number 2775 New Magwegwe, said the thieves raided her four-roomed house in which nine people were sleeping and no one heard anything.

“They got away with seven cellphones and some of them were under a pillow on which my son was sleeping. They even took clothes that were left on chairs and emptied the pockets of all the cash. The thieves then took a heavy vase and left it on top of my children who were sleeping in the sitting room. Still, no one heard anything,” said Mrs Gatsheni.

She said she suspected the thieves had sprayed a gas and probably everyone in the house became unconscious during the period they were stealing.

Another New Magwegwe resident who declined to be named said she lost two cellphones and about R600 to the thieves.

“When I went to make a report at Magwegwe Police Station, I was told I was the sixth person to make a similar report,” said the resident.

A Njube resident said his neighbour also woke up to find the window open and two cellphones missing.

Contacted for comment, acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Precious Simango, confirmed some of the incidents.

“We are investigating a case of unlawful entry in New Magwegwe where suspects opened the kitchen and stole cellphones. I cannot confirm that there were six cases because we did not receive that number of reports. In Njube, we are also handling a case where a suspect opened a window and stole cellphones,” said Asst Insp Simango.

She said she could not comment on the possibility of the thieves using sprays to put victims to sleep as police had not come up with evidence to that effect.

“However, we encourage residents to ensure their houses are well secured before going to sleep. They should put burglar bars and razor wires and make sure their doors and windows are secured before they go to sleep,” she said, adding that police were yet to make arrests.