The couple will
be extradited before end of March after their extradition papers were signed.
John Zvivi and
Lister Sibanda have been on the run for allegedly killing the daughter of
Lister’s sister.
They were
arrested in Bram Fischerbille, Johannesburg, with the assistance of businessman
Moreboys Munetsi and Thomas Nhundu before they were taken to court where they
have been applying against extradition.
Since 2023, the
couple was evading arrest.
The development
comes after the South Africa’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional
Development Mmamoloko Kubayi signed their extradition papers on Tuesday.
Following their
arrest, they engaged a lawyer to avoid extradition to Zimbabwe.
Last year, a
magistrate in SA considered that the court had found out that the respondents,
John and Lister, were liable to be surrendered to the foreign state concerned,
in this case Zimbabwe.
“That there is
sufficient evidence against the respondents which warrants their prosecution in
the Republic of Zimbabwe for the offence as set out in the formal extradition
documentation.
“The
Respondents are liable to be surrendered to the Republic of Zimbabwe for the
crime set out in the formal extradition documentation.
“The
Respondents are ordered to be committed to prison to await the decision of the
Minister of Justice with regarding to their surrender to the Republic of
Zimbabwe in terms of Section 11 of the Extradition Act 67 of 1962
“The
Respondents are informed that they may, within 15 days, appeal against this
order to the High Court,” the judgment from the South African court read.
However, Lawyer
Moreboys Munetsi said the couple will now face murder charges in Zimbabwe.
“John Zvivi and
Alista Sibanda will be extradited to Zimbabwe to face charges of murder.
“Minister of
Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi signed their
extradition papers yesterday.
“Interpol will
hand them to ZRP at Beitbridge before the 30th of March 2025. They reportedly
killed baby Princess two years ago and threw body in a dam then fled to SA.
“I helped the
arrested and Thomas Nhundu,” he said.
Munetsi further
said that the accused are in the custody of Interpol South Africa.
“They will be
taken to Beitbridge, so that they will be extracted before March 30. Every
paperwork is ready, they will be taken from the prison where they are, and they
will be handed to ZRP.
“They will
appear in court under a normal certain time, but the greatest concern is that,
that the child hasn’t been buried, in Zimbabwe. There are no postmortem results
and now they need to prove.
“In the absence
of postmortem, I am not sure how the court is going to deal with this issue.
“I am also not
sure if that can be a concern, if the accused are back in Zimbabwe, what
evidence are they going to provide.
“The doctor
must testify and give evidence since the child was found in water,” he said.
The pair’s
children have been under the care of Social Welfare officials in South Africa.
Allegations are
that the couple committed the offence in Zvivi homestead, Vantage Area, in
Zvimba.
After allegedly
killing the child, they stashed her body in a sack before dumping it in a river
before fleeing the country. It is alleged that Princess was beaten to death.
The deceased’s
mother, Nomsa, left her two daughters in the couple’s custody while she worked
as a maid in South Africa.
The couple
allegedly subjected the two children to extreme levels of abuse, brutalising
them with electrical cables and a walking stick.
It is alleged
that the couple brutalised the four-year-old niece to death, stuffed her body
in a sack, and dumped it in a stream near a bridge in Kuwadzana Extension. H
Metro
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