National

Kidnapped Nkayi boy to return home from Kenya after five years

Published

3 years ago

January 7, 2022

BY CYPRIAN KIMUTAI

A seven year-old boy, who was kidnapped and trafficked to Kenya in 2016, is set to be reunited with his family after he was tracked to the east African country.

Awakhiwe Ackim Ncube was only two when he was seperated from his family and was being kept at an orphanage in Kenya.

Awakhiwe was kidnapped and drugged with two other children by the kidnappers who were headed to Kenya.

The other two children were not Zimbabwean.

Upon reaching the Kenyan border, Awakhiwe is said to have kicked up dust by crying and demanding to be returned to his mother.

Alert border officials became suspicious and detained the kidnappers as Awakhiwe was speaking in isiNdebele.

They thought the child was Zimbabwean or South African.

The suspected kidnappers, Margaret Juma Magero and David Ochieng Omentho, believed to be man and wife, were arraigned before senior principal magistrate, Diana Mochache in Shanzu Principal courts on December 13, 2016.

Mochache directed that Awakhiwe and the two children be placed under the custody of Happy Children’s home in Nairobi until their parents are found.

A month after he was last seen in his grandparents’ backyard, his parents got to learn of his whereabouts thanks to pictures on social media.

“One of the neighbours in Zimbabwe brought a picture which was sent by his son who is in South Africa.

“They went with it to show the grandfather of the child who saw without doubt that it was his grandson,” said his mother, Nobekezelo Maseko.

Nobekezelo reached out to the orphanage and a woman who runs it confirmed that her Awakhiwe was a resident at the home.

She said: “I sent her a picture and Awakhiwe identified me. The mother, who keeps them, asked us which name are we using when we call him, we said Kim, which is short for Ackim.

“She then said called him by that name and he answered back.”

The other two kids have since been identified, extradited to their home countries and reunited with their families.
But for Nobekezelo the wait goes on.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said a full statement will be issued today. – Pulse/VicFallsLive

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

2 months ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

3 months ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

4 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.