POLICE in Bulawayo are searching for three pupils who went missing between March and April this year. Bulawayo police spokesperson, Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo, identified the missing children as Nontobeko Yolanda Nkomo, 10, of Nkulumane 12, Alington Shereni, 15, and Cyril Ndlovu, 15, both of Emganwini.
He said Nontobeko, a Grade Six pupil at Mgoqo Primary School went missing on May 26 while Alington was last seen on April 30. Cyril went missing on March 1.
“Nontobeko Nkomo is medium built, about 1.2m tall, dark in complexion. She was last seen on May 28 wearing a bottle green pair of trousers, bottle green jersey, bottle green blouse, black shoes, green socks and a green woollen hat. She was carrying a pink and grey satchel. She was last seen at around 9AM on 28 May,” said Insp Moyo.
The Bulawayo police spokesperson said the second child, Alington Shereni, a boy, was last seen on April 30 at around 8AM.
He said Alington is about 1.2m tall, light in complexion, and medium built. Alington, a Form Two pupil at a college in the Bulawayo Central Business District, left home after he was sent to buy bread at a local grocery shop.
“Alington was last seen wearing a white vest, brown bottom and blue shoes. The third missing child, Cyril Ndlovu, 15, was last seen on March 1 at around 8.30AM. He was last seen wearing a green T-shirt, black track bottom and Adidas tackies.
“We’re appealing to anyone with information on the whereabouts of the three missing pupils to contact the nearest police station or alternatively one can contact ZRP Hotline number Nkulumane on landline 09-481145,” said Insp Moyo.
Irene Shawarira, Nontobeko’s mother, told The Chronicle recently that her daughter left for school as usual and was expecting to see her later at home.
“Ntoe left for school in the morning and at around 9AM I received a call from her teacher informing me that she had not returned to the classroom from the grounds,” said Shawarira.
“We tried to look for her around the school. We even asked her friends from school but they had no information.”
Shawarira said she then reported the matter to the police at Nkulumane Police Station.
Alington’s mother, Lavender Kumire said the last time she saw her son was when she gave him $5 to buy bread at around 8 AM on April 30.
“I noticed after about 30 minutes that he was not yet home and sent his siblings to check on him at the shops. They came back to report that they could not find him and when I also made a follow up I could not locate him,” said Kumire.
Efforts to get in touch with Sduduzile Ndlovu, Cyril’s mother, were fruitless as her mobile phone was not reachable.