A 53-year-old landlord from Bulawayo has been sentenced to community service for kidnapping after locking his female tenant in her room when she rejected his advances.
The incident occurred on the evening of February 5, 2025, when Esau Sibanda approached his 36-year-old tenant, Mrs. Estel Mwembe, at her residence. Sibanda, who had been harbouring inappropriate intentions, demanded sex favours from Mrs Mwembe, and when she firmly refused, the situation escalated.
Enraged by her rejection, Sibanda insisted that Mrs. Mwembe pay the outstanding rent for the previous month. Fearing for her safety, she retreated to her room, but Sibanda locked the door from the outside, trapping her inside. For over 12 hours, she remained confined in her home, unable to seek help.
It wasn’t until the next morning, around 11 am, that concerned neighbours noticed her absence and raised the alarm. Their swift intervention led to her rescue, and Sibanda was later arrested.
During the court proceedings, Sibanda pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession of drugs and kidnapping. Presiding over the case, Western Commonage magistrate, Ms. Skhetile Moyo, sentenced him to 16 months in prison. However, four months of the sentence were suspended for five years on the condition that he did not commit a similar offence during that period.
The prosecutor argued that Sibanda had abused his authority as a landlord to intimidate and coerce Mrs Mwembe. “Such behaviour not only violated the tenant’s rights but also undermined the trust that should exist between landlords and tenants,” the prosecutor stated.
The remaining 12 months of his sentence were also suspended, provided he completed 560 hours of community service at Njube Police Station. The court ruled that this penalty would serve both as rehabilitation for the offender and as a means for him to contribute positively to society.
