Female passenger strips naked as kombi crew denies her $9.50 change

A Masvingo woman,Vimbai Musheche (33) stripped naked in public on Thursday morning after allegedly being denied change by a kombi conductor.

The incident, which happened at about 7am, attracted a big crowd with people jostling to get a glimpse of the otherwise smartly dressed woman.

Witnesses said the woman boarded a kombi belonging to Walker Logisars Company from Pangolin suburb heading to town and paid her fare like other passengers.

However, all hell broke loose when the  conductor, Gideon Nyikadzino, refused to give her her change.

The woman is alleged to have paid with a $10 note hoping to get back $9,50 as change but the conductor was reluctant to give her the money.

All local distances cost $0,50 in Masvingo.

Witnesses said the woman then told the conductor that she wanted her change  while in the kombi as she was in a hurry going  to Mutare. She is said to have told the conductor that she was supposed to return on the same day.

The woman insisted that she wanted to get her change from Nyikadzino before disembarking as she did not want to delay.

However, the conductor is said to have told her that he would only give her the money when another passenger got into the kombi, something that infuriated the woman.

Witnesses said the woman then allegedly seized the conductor's ticket book.

After the ticket book was seized, the conductor told the woman that she could remain with the book but she should forget about getting her money back.

Witnesses said the conductor told the woman  that her money was even more as the receipt book costs less.

When the kombi which had other passengers  on board reached town, the woman disembarked and headed towards ZB bank along Mutare Road where she wanted to board a lift to her destination.

The conductor followed her and pulled her back demanding the ticket book back.

Witnesses said the woman refused with the book and told the conductor to first return the money before he could get the book.

The woman is said to have broken down  in tears and told the kombi crew, which was  now parked at Masvingo Main Post Office, that she would strip naked if her demands were not met.

To the surprise of other passengers and this reporter who had been attracted by the commotion, the woman removed her top and pair of jean trousers in protest leaving herself  nude before an elderly woman asked her to dress up.

The conductor pleaded with the woman to  release the ticket book in exchange for her change but she was no longer prepared to listen to him anymore.

The woman was then taken to Masvingo Central Police Station where she was charged for public nuisance and paid an admission of guilt fine of $10. The conductor paid the same amount for harassing passengers.

In her defence to the police, the woman aid she remonstrated by undressing because    she wanted the conductor to see that she was serious.

"Ndakumura mbatya dzangu nokuti ndiyo  nzira chete yandafunga kuti achaona kuti ndairevesa. (I stripped naked because I thought that was the only way the conductor would take me seriously).

"I know it is taboo for a man to see a woman   who is not his girlfriend or wife naked, but I had to do this because he was refusing with my money," said the woman at the police camp.