TEEN, WHO WAS LOCKED UP IN A ROOM FOR THREE YEARS, DIES IN CHITOWN

📅 Published: August 21, 2025

Curated by AllZimNews.com

This resulted in him suffering from malnutrition.

The two locked Tinotenda inside their house in St Mary’s, when he was 14, and his plight was only known to neighbours when he was 16.

Herbert and Memory were arrested.

Chitungwiza Magistrate Dennis Mangosi sentenced them to 24 months in prison.

Four months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

It remains to be seen if the same court is going to review the charges against this heartless couple following Tinotenda’s death.

Initially, the couple was charged with ill-treating the teenager.

But, given he died after such ill-treatment, chances are high their case could be reviewed to either murder or culpable homicide depending on circumstances.

Chitungwiza Central Hospital public relations officer, Audrey Tasaranarwo, confirmed Tinotenda’s death. “The boy was still admitted at our hospital and he died on the 17th of this month,” she said.

She did not give further details.

Herbert is the biological father of Tinotenda while Memory is his step-mother and they were staying at House Number 907 in St Mary’s.

Herbert separated from Tinotenda’s mother, who has since remarried.

Tinotenda ended up suffering from extensive malnutrition and severe bruises on his body suggest that he was being assaulted on numerous occasions.

Prosecutor Shamiso Charmaine Mwapangira told the court that from May 2022, the two locked the teenage boy in a very dirty room and denied him access to free movement.

They denied him access to health care even after noticing that his health was deteriorating.