Comedian Ntambudzeni Rasendedza used to mingle with the rich and famous, with friends in all the right places. No event was ever complete without him. He was always fully booked as master of ceremonies at events and all was going well for the man.
But things are not always as they seem. Mr Bundu, as he is popularly known in the entertainment industry, was apparently hiding a very dark side of himself while living the high life. Back in 2019, he was arrested for domestic violence after his girlfriend, Tshifhiwa Nedididi (29), accused him of assaulting her, and that signalled the start of his road to doom.
For the past two years, the Tshovhilingana star has been incarcerated and led in and out of court while awaiting trial. His fate was sealed on Wednesday, 29 September this year, when the Sibasa Regional Court sentenced him to 10 years' direct imprisonment.
Bundu's imprisonment resulted from a number of disturbing crimes he had committed against Nedididi. The first incident happened in August 2019, when he allegedly assaulted her with a wooden stick and an electric cable. He further dripped burning plastic all over her body and locked her inside his house for two weeks. Nedididi was not even allowed outside the house, and for the two weeks she was forced to use a bucket as a toilet.
The second incident happened when the couple were returning from a party one night, and Bundu hit Nedididi with a big rock, breaking her leg in the process. He then tore her clothes off, leaving her completely naked.
Bundu was found guilty on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Throughout the trial, he vehemently denied the charges laid against him, saying that Nedididi had burnt herself and broken her leg after she had fallen. The evidence, however, showed the contrary.
This has spelt Bundu's demise from the limelight and grace, straight to a cold prison cell.
His incarceration has elicited mixed reactions from the public, most of whom were his fans, with many saying that the court had been too harsh with its sentence.
To the victim and her family, though, victory has come at long last. "It feels like I am dreaming. I never thought this day would come. Bundu is a celebrity and has a lot of influence and connections. As the trial dragged its feet, I thought justice would never be served. The 10-year sentence serves him right and goes to show that no one is above the law. I have accepted that the scars he inflicted on me will be with me forever," Nedididi said.
Her father, Mr Godfrey Nedididi, was satisfied with the sentence too. "It has been a very long journey, and we thought at one time the case would not see the end of the day, but justice prevailed in the end," he said.