Vusumuzi Dube
Vuyisile Mlilo, Sunday News Reporter
A 37-year-old woman from Mbizingwe rural village in Matabeleland South province has spent three nights in police custody after she was allegedly arrested by police while travelling from Bulawayo to Beitbridge.
Abigail Ndlovu who is from Beitbridge was arrested after she was mistaken for Shuvai Musariri who has been on the run from the police since last year.
Ms Musariri is accused of using her shop for holding illegal Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activities and distributing opposition regalia.
Since her escape her whereabouts are unknown.
Confirming the incident, Matabeleland South police, in a statement confirmed Ms Ndlovu’s arrest.
“It is unfortunate that Ms Ndlovu was mistaken for Ms Musariri, as members of the police we would like to apologize to Ms Ndlovu and her family,” reads the statement.
The police further confirmed that the hunt for Ms Musariri continues.
“She was conducting illegal activities, she has to answer for all the alleged crimes against her. We are appealing to the members of the public to help the police with the information that might lead to Musasriri’s arrest to come forward,” reads the statement.
Meanwhile when approached for comments Ms Ndlovu refused to comment.
However, a close family member, who declined to be named, narrated the circumstances leading up to her spend three nights in prison.
“Police officers pounced on the bus she was using, claiming they had information that this Ms Musariri was aboard, they then arrested Abigail saying she knew her crimes. When we heard the information that she had been arrested we tried to engage the police who initially refused to even tell us where she was, after some time we managed to convince them that this was an issue of mistaken identity,” said the relative.
Bongani Ndlovu