A 26-YEAR-OLD Hopley man yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court charged with kidnapping a Borrowdale Primary School pupil and five other counts of theft.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
The suspect, Lloyd Chamburuka, who pleaded not guilty to the offence, was remanded in custody to June 29 by Harare magistrate Tracy Muzondo, who advised him to apply for bail at the High Court.
In opposing bail, prosecutor Moleen Murozvi told the court that Chaburuka was likely to commit suicide if released on bail since he had tried to do so using his shoe laces in police cells.
Murozvi further told the court that Chamburuka was also a flight risk given that there was overwhelming evidence against him.
However, Chamburuka denied attempting suicide saying he could not kill himself since he had a one-and-half-year-old minor who was seriously ill and needed his attention.
He also told the court he left the child in his neighbour’s custody following his arrest, adding he was once a vendor at the school and had visited the premises to check on his sister from whom he wanted to borrow money for his child’s medication.
The State alleges on June 21, this year at around midday, Chamburuka approached Tawananyasha Muzvibo and told him to accompany him outside the school yard where he wanted to buy him some foodstuffs.
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Muzvibo’s brother then allegedly spotted his sibling with the stranger and told his class teacher.
The State alleges the class teacher then alerted one Chiriga, who then followed Chamburuka and discovered Muzvibo with Chamburuka 500 metres away from the school yard.
Chamburuka was taken to the school office where he was found with the boy’s satchels with three pairs of school shoes.
The school authorities then took him to the police station, where he was arrested and detained.
Upon returning to the school, the school authorities allegedly received reports that three pupils were missing their shoes, while the other two were missing their satchels.
