Bulawayo - Police in Bulawayo have launched a search for a man accused of kidnapping his two children, aged 10 and 5, and sending their mother videos and voice notes threatening to kill them before taking his own life.
The mother, Angeline Ndlovu, said her ex-husband, Smile Sibanda, took the children last Friday under the pretext of a short visit — something he had done during previous weekends. The couple’s on-and-off relationship ended in January.
A day after Sibanda took the children, Ndlovu received a “view once” video showing the two minors being marched through a bushy area with their hands tied together with rope.When she tried calling him, he did not answer.
She later received an audio note: “He said he is going to kill the children then commit suicide.”In total, Sibanda has allegedly sent two videos and two voice notes.
In one audio, he told Ndlovu: “Look at them for the last time. You will never see them again even if you have lived with them. Today it’s their end. This is the last time you see them. You will have to talk to your brother for funeral arrangements since he has a funeral policy.”
Ndlovu told Our Correspondent Ezra Tshisa Sibanda that her ex-husband had previously warned her to reconcile or face consequences.“He said if I don’t get back with him he would do something that would make me go mad or be hit by a car,” she said, fighting back tears. “I thought he wanted to bewitch me or something. I did not think that he wanted to make me mad by taking away my children.”
Police confirmed they are investigating and searching for Smile Sibanda and the two children. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is urged to contact the nearest police station, Bulawayo Central Police, or call the police hotline.