ARREST ZEBRA KISS’ BUS CREW

IN today’s edition of your favourite daily newspaper, we carry the story of a cross-border trader who was abducted by a Zebra Kiss bus crew.

We report that Charlotte Dube was driven to the company’s garage in Ardbennie, Harare, where she was bashed for hours by a group of men who used planks to inflict as much damage as possible.

Charlotte had boarded the bus in Zambia and was returning home.

She was accused by the bus crew of allegedly stealing a parcel in what was a case of mistaken identity.

A fellow passenger on the bus had claimed that she had lost a parcel and the crew accused Charlotte of being responsible for the theft.

A bus conductor, identified as Pardy, ordered Charlotte to remain in the bus.

She was driven to the company’s garage where five people, who were only identified as Marvin, Munashe, Kuda, Roma and a man who called himself Baba Keketso, took turns to bash her using planks.

She sustained injuries on her hands, buttocks and her back.

The passenger, who had claimed to have lost a parcel, later called the bus crew and advised them that her parcel was not stolen and Zebra Kiss manager, Kudakwashe Mupfukirei, apologised to Charlotte.

We are in possession of messages between Mupfukirei and Charlotte’s husband requesting for the case to be resolved amicably. Charlotte  endured a nightmare at the hands of the Zebra Kiss bus crew which attacked her.

The irony of it all is that this used to be Charlotte’s favourite bus for all her business trips as a cross-border trader.

She said they confiscated her goods and handed them to the passenger who claimed to have lost her parcel.

She revealed that Mupfukirei has since apologised for the false accusations and pleaded with her husband that they would refund her US$300.

She said she has been affected physically and emotionally after some passengers started taking her picture and circulating the photos on social media claiming that she was a thief.

What is clear to us is that the Zebra Kiss bus crew overstepped their mandate and abducted a passenger which is unlawful.

They don’t have any power to ‘arrest’ someone even if they had caught her in the act while stealing.

That power rests with the police.

What they should have done was to take her to the police.

At that police station, Charlotte would have been interviewed by professional men and women who are trained in dealing with such cases.

By taking turns to bash her, the Zebras Kiss crew broke the law and must face the consequences.

Charlotte should not withdraw the complaint she filed with the police.

That is necessary because it sets an example for other rogue bus crews who will also know that the law does not empower them to assault their passengers, no matter what would have happened.

As it turned out, Charlotte didn’t steal anything on that bus. However, she is still nursing the physical and emotional scars from the thorough beating she received.