Latwell Nyangu
THE runaway killer couple, who skipped the border last year after allegedly murdering a four-year-old girl, will face justice in Zimbabwe after a South African court found them answerable to the crime.
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, and have been resisting attempts for them to be ordered back home to face murder charges.
Following their arrest, they engaged a lawyer to avoid extradition to Zimbabwe.
Yesterday, their resistance crumbled.
“Upon consideration of all the evidence placed before the court in its’ totality, including the submissions made by Counsel for the Applicant and the Respondents’ Attorney, Ms Mokobane, the court finds that the Respondents, John and Lister, are liable to be surrendered to the foreign state concerned, the Republic of Zimbabwe,” the judgment from the South African court read.
“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 pair’s children have been under the care of Social Welfare officials in South Africa.
Allegations are that the couple committed the offence at Zvivi homestead, Vantage Area, in Zvimba.
After allegedly killing the child, they stashed her body in a sack before dumping it in a river.
They fled 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.