mbulelo smpofu
Trish Mukwazo, trishmukwazo515@gmail.com
A BULAWAYO kombi crew that allegedly kidnapped a 23-year-old woman and drove out of town where they assaulted and threatened her for allegedly stealing a cellphone was yesterday arraigned before the courts.
The pair accused the woman of stealing the cellphone when she boarded their vehicle.
Ntandoyenkosi Ndlovu (35) and Proud Mpofu (20) of Queens Park West suburb, who operate under Bupta, appeared before regional magistrate, Mrs Dambudzo Malunga, yesterday.
According to the State’s case, the duo kidnapped Ms Nokunqoba Nwane and drove to Woodville suburb where they threatened her.
Ndlovu and Mpofu denied the charges.
They told the court that the complainant once boarded their vehicle and stole Mpofu’s cellphone and they only confronted her about the alleged theft on the day in question.
“The complainant consented to getting into our vehicle and we had a civil conversation with her where she expressed no knowledge of the whereabouts of Mpofu’s cellphone. We never hit, kidnapped, or assaulted her,” said Ndlovu.
Mrs Malunga adjourned the matter to today for continuation of trial.
Prosecutor, Mr Owen Mugari, said the incident occurred on November 18 at around 4pm along 1st Avenue opposite Bulawayo Prison.
“They forced the complainant to disembark from another vehicle she was in and board theirs and drove to Woodville and back to town without her consent,” he said.
“On their way back from Woodville, the complainant tried to disembark from the vehicle but they pushed her back inside and hit her with the door on her left side of the back,” said Mr Mugari.
The court heard that the complainant managed to escape and reported the matter to the police leading to Ndlovu and Mpofu’s arrest.
