By Fanuel Chinowaita
A 40-year-old man commonly known as Dingo has been sentenced to five years in prison for kidnapping a three-year-old boy at Dora Camp in Zimunya, Mutare.
Lloyd Zviyuya, who has no fixed abode, was convicted and sentenced by the Mutare Magistrates’ Court following the incident, which occurred on 25 October 2026 at approximately 1pm near Taguta Stone Crushers under Chief Zimunya.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), Zviyuya allegedly grabbed the toddler by the neck as the child was coming from the toilet and forcibly dragged him approximately 100 metres away.
He then lifted the child and attempted to flee while the toddler struggled to free himself.
The incident was witnessed by a 61-year-old neighbour who raised the alarm, prompting other residents to intervene.
A 27-year-old neighbour was the first to respond and confronted Zviyuya before managing to wrestle the child away from him.
Zviyuya was subsequently arrested and brought before the Mutare Magistrates’ Court, where he was convicted of kidnapping.
He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, with one year suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving him with an effective four-year jail term.
Residents who knew him in Chikanga Phase 3, Mutare, identified him by the nickname Dingo. Some described him as a person who allegedly struggled with drug abuse and whose behaviour had become increasingly erratic. These accounts were not included in the NPAZ statement.
In a statement dated 30 October 2026, the NPAZ welcomed the conviction, saying it demonstrated the courts’ firm stance against crimes committed against children.
The Authority urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious behaviour to the police, emphasising that protecting children was a shared responsibility.