Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, danimasuku4455gmail.com
THE 14-year-old girl accused of kidnapping a two-year-old from a city centre mall has appeared in court. She appeared yesterday before Bulawayo Senior Regional Magistrate Mr Mark Dzira, facing a charge of kidnapping. She was not asked to plead.
The magistrate ordered that she be examined by two State doctors under the Mental Health Act. The accused was remanded out of custody until March 10 and will remain under the care of social welfare authorities.
The minor attended court in the company of her mother — who cannot be named to protect the identity of the accused — together with social welfare officials.
Prosecutor Ms Hazel Ncube told the court that on February 17 this year, the accused allegedly snatched a two-year-old girl and disappeared with her.
“The complainant is Nesisa Mpofu (24) from Emakhandeni suburb. She is employed as a sales representative at a shop located at a mall situated in the city centre.
“On the 17th day of February 2026 at around 10AM, the complainant was at her workplace serving customers while her daughter, Asanda Charisma Ndhlovu aged two years, was playing by herself near her cubicle.
“The accused took advantage of the congestion and lifted the baby who was playing unattended and went away unnoticed,” said Ms Ncube.
The complainant later realised her daughter was missing and searched the complex without success before reporting the matter to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused.
In a related matter, Godwell Mumba, who had been illegally staying with the accused for nearly a month and had sexual intercourse with her, has been jailed for three years.
In mitigation, Mumba told Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Mr Themba Chimiso that the accused had told him she had a child and that her parents had died. He also claimed he fell in love with the minor after she ended a relationship with her sister.
