Four Bulawayo Zanu PF youths have been arrested for alleged kidnapping and forcing city touts to buy fuel for the party’s provincial vehicles.
The four — Hardlife Ndlovu, Mthunzi Mabhena, Nqobani Mlilo and Obert Musindo — were not asked to plead when they appeared in court on Friday.
Magistrate Gideon Ruvetsa remanded them in custody for trial at the regional court today.
Public prosecutor Malvern Nzombe told the court that on Wednesday last week at around 1pm, the youths went to Mac’s Garage where commuter omnibuses which ply the Masvingo, Filabusi and Gwanda routes load passengers.
They allegedly forced touts to get onto a commuter omnibus they were driving and proceeded to the Zanu PF Bulawayo provincial offices at Davies Hall.
On arrival they allegedly demanded that the touts pay $50 per route saying the money was meant for fuelling Zanu PF vehicles parked at the hall.
However, the money was later reduced to $12 for Masvingo, $7 for Gwanda and $5 for Filabusi omnibuses.
The touts were only released after two hours and immediately reported the matter to the police. The suspects were arrested at 3:45pm as they collected the “fuel money” from the touts.
