Zanu-PF youths convicted of kidnapping and extortion

Three Zanu-PF youths from Bulawayo have been convicted of extortion and kidnapping after they rounded commuter omnibus touts demanding money to fuel vehicles in President Robert Mugabe's motorcade.

Bulawayo magistrate Mark Dzira convicted Hardlife Ndlovu (29) of Emakhandeni, Nqobani Mlilo (31) and Mthunzi Mabhena (28) both of Nkulumane.

Dzira remanded the three in custody to allow their lawyer Advocate Sabelo Sibanda to analyse the case.

In his ruling, the magistrate said there was substantial evidence linking the three to the crime.

"The State managed to establish that you really committed the crime because there was no reason why the complainants should have claimed you did that if you had not done so," he said.

On March 7, Ndlovu, Mlilo, and Mabhena went to Macs Garage in the city centre where they kidnapped the touts for commuter omnibuses plying Gwanda, Filabusi and Masvingo routes.

They took them to Davis Hall where they demanded $50 per day from users of each bus terminus, claiming it was for fuelling Mugabe's motorcade. Mugabe visited Bulawayo at that time preside over the official opening of the chief's conference.

The complainants told the three they could not afford the money.