Online Reporter
Arron Nyamayaro
SIX men, who abducted a cross-border trader and bashed her for hours using planks, have been arrested.
H-Metro, which broke the story yesterday, also carried a leader calling for the men’s arrest.
They were accusing Charlotte Dube, who used their bus to travel from Lusaka to Harare, of theft.
Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza confirmed the arrest.
“Police have arrested six men in connection of the physical assault of a woman.
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.
“The suspects are expected to appear in court tomorrow (today),” said Insp Chakanza.
Charlotte sustained visible injuries on her hands, buttocks and her back.
Charlotte said Zebra Kiss manager Kudakwashe Mupfukirei has since apologised to her. She said Mupfukirei, in a WhatsApp message to her husband, suggested the crew might have been drunk and offered to compensate her loss and injury with a US$300 payment.
Charlotte described the Zebra Kiss crew, which attacked her, as heartless.
“I have been relying on Zebra Kiss for all my trips as a cross-border but this time they destroyed my trust,” said Charlotte.
“Their conductor Pardy engaged five of their staff members who took turns to beat me at their garage.
“They confiscated my goods, handed them to the passenger who claimed to have lost her parcel.
“I reported the assault.”
derick.khumalo