adminNgoni Dapira Weekender Correspondent
A CROSS-BORDER trader from Victoria Falls, Tapiwa Madzikura (26), was last Wednesday evening robbed and stripped naked in Mutare after hitch-hiking a lift to Harare.Madzikura was attacked and left unconscious in the lift before being robbed of goods worth $225 and $120 cash. He was left in his underwear only.
A puzzled Madzikura, who was in transit from Mozambique where he had bought shoes for resale in Victoria Falls, narrated his unfortunate experience to The Weekender last Thursday.
He said he arrived from Mozambique last Wednesday late in the afternoon and stopped by a bottle store in the downtown area of Mutare where he had a few beers until around 7pm in the evening.
Madzikura then went to hitchhike for lifts to Harare at the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority Megawatt building, where most commuters illegally hike for transport to Harare.
“I had a conversation with this lady as we waited for lifts at Megawatt. A white Toyota Lagrange stopped and we both jumped in.
“In the car there were four other people including the driver. Just after boarding the car, I was struck in the head by a metal object and I lost consciousness.
“I only came to along the way to Mutare Provincial Hospital where some people took me after seeing me lying on the ground bleeding profusely near the roundabout along the Mutare-Harare highway,” said Madzikura.
He was treated and discharged on Thursday.
After being discharged from the hospital he went to Red Cross Mutare looking for a piece job to raise transport some money to travel back to Victoria Falls.
That is where he got a donation of $10 transport money to Harare raised by Red Cross employees after hearing his ordeal.
Deputy Manicaland provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luckson Chananda confirmed the case and urged people not to hitch-hike, especially at night.
He said people should use public transport which is well labelled for identification in the event of such circumstances.
Online Reporter