adminRickson Shoriwa (38), of 11103 Nkulumane 10 had been ordered by his employer to take a client to Basch Street Terminus popularly known as Egodini when he started proposing love to the 18-year-old woman, and attempted to rape her when she turned him down.
He was employed by City Line Taxis while the woman was employed as a domestic worker by his employer.
Shoriwa was, however, lucky to escape the agony of jail life when Bulawayo magistrate Ms Marilyn Mutshina suspended four months of the sentence for five years on condition of good behaviour and the remaining two years on condition he pays a fine of $150.
Mr Admire Chikwayi for the State told the court that on 21 March this year at about 6pm, Shoriwa was ordered to drive the woman to where she would get transport to her place of residence in Mpopoma.
Instead, Shoriwa drove around the city with the woman in the taxi until it was 8.30pm when he told her he was taking her straight to her place of residence.
He started proposing love to her but she turned him down.
Shoriwa drove along Khami Road towards Mpopoma, but stopped the car on the way. He then started fondling the woman all over the body and kissing her.
He adjusted the passenger seat so that the woman could lie on her back and attempted to lie on top of her.
However, the woman managed to push him aside and opened the door and fled into the darkness where she met two men who were walking along the road and they accompanied her to make a report to the police, leading to Shoriwa’s arrest.
Although pleading guilty to the offence, Shoriwa told the court they were in love and denied that he adjusted the seat.
He told the court he did not know he was committing an offence.
Londile Moyo
Bongani Ndlovu