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A GWERU magistrate has ordered a man who last week kidnapped a child from her family house in Nashville suburb in Gweru to be examined by two psychiatrists.
Ndabezinhle Sibanda, 31, of Midsole Plot, Eastline which is along the Gweru-Bulawayo road, appeared before magistrate Judith Taruvinga on Monday facing a charge of kidnapping a two-and-a-half-year-old girl.
Sibanda pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded in custody to March 11.
Magistrate Taruvinga said Sibanda should be examined by two doctors to establish his mental state before returning to court.
Prosecuting, Daniel Tafuma said on Friday last week, at House Number 16 Nile Road, Nashville, Sibanda approached a two-year–old girl who was within the yard and grabbed the girl before running away.
The child had been left in the custody of Sikholiwe Hwavai, 18.
Tafuma told the court that Hwavai heard the girl screaming and ran outside and saw Sibanda running away with the child.
The court heard that the complainant gave chase and caught up with Sibanda. She tried to wrest the child from the accused but failed as Sibanda fought back.
Hwavai called for help and one good Samaritan only identified as Makoni helped her to apprehend the accused.
They took Sibanda to Gweru Central Police station where they made a report of kidnapping. When the court remanded him in custody, he pleaded with the magistrate to release him saying he wanted to notify his relatives of his whereabouts first.
“Your worship, I plead with you to release me since I am coming from Hwahwa (prison) and my family members do not know of my whereabouts. I just want to inform them of my whereabouts and then come back,” he said.
Tafuma said it was necessary for Sibanda to undergo a medical examination at the hands of psychiatrists because the accused’s relatives were insisting that he was mentally challenged.
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