News / Regional
Teen girl apprehends 'robber'
29 Jul 2014 at 06:46hrs | Views
A 16-year-old school girl who was mugged and robbed of her mobile phone last year, exhibited rare bravery when she spotted her suspected aggressor last week and dragged him to the police with the help of a friend.
The girl, who was walking with her friend, a girl of the same age, recently bumped into her alleged aggressor at a shopping centre in Mkoba Village 16 and the two confronted him and dragged him to the police at Mkoba 16 police base.
The man, Sydney Makuni, 32, of Woodlands Park in Gweru allegedly waylaid the teenage school girl when she was on her way home from school and assaulted her with an iron bar before robbing her of her cellphone in September last year.
Makuni appeared before Gweru magistrate Mildred Matuvi on Saturday facing assault and robbery charges.
He pleaded not guilty and will remain in custody until 8 August for continuation of trial.
Prosecuting, Peason Muringani told the court that on September 16, 2013 at around 1PM at an open space near a water tank in Mkoba Village 14, the 16-year old girl was walking from school to her parents' home.
The court was told that unbeknown to the girl, Makuni was trailing her.
He allegedly grabbed the girl by the neck and demanded that she hands over her cellphone, a Samsung E250 which she was holding.
The complainant screamed but could not attract any help. Makuni then hit the complainant with an iron bar on her forehead and she sustained a deep cut.
Muringani told the court that the accused took the cellphone and disappeared.
He said the complainant proceeded home crying. Muringani said a neighbour, Laiza Mpofu, heard the girl crying and asked her what had happened.
He said the girl narrated her ordeal.
On July 24, the court heard, the complainant bumped into Makuni at Mkoba 16 business centre.
She positively identified him as the person who had robbed her last September.
The prosecutor told the court that the complainant, with the help of a female friend, dragged the accused to the police base in Mkoba Village 16 where he was detained.
Makuni, however, denied having seen the girl before. He said at the time the alleged crime was committed, he was at his rural home in Chiundura.
The girl, who was walking with her friend, a girl of the same age, recently bumped into her alleged aggressor at a shopping centre in Mkoba Village 16 and the two confronted him and dragged him to the police at Mkoba 16 police base.
The man, Sydney Makuni, 32, of Woodlands Park in Gweru allegedly waylaid the teenage school girl when she was on her way home from school and assaulted her with an iron bar before robbing her of her cellphone in September last year.
Makuni appeared before Gweru magistrate Mildred Matuvi on Saturday facing assault and robbery charges.
He pleaded not guilty and will remain in custody until 8 August for continuation of trial.
Prosecuting, Peason Muringani told the court that on September 16, 2013 at around 1PM at an open space near a water tank in Mkoba Village 14, the 16-year old girl was walking from school to her parents' home.
The court was told that unbeknown to the girl, Makuni was trailing her.
He allegedly grabbed the girl by the neck and demanded that she hands over her cellphone, a Samsung E250 which she was holding.
Muringani told the court that the accused took the cellphone and disappeared.
He said the complainant proceeded home crying. Muringani said a neighbour, Laiza Mpofu, heard the girl crying and asked her what had happened.
He said the girl narrated her ordeal.
On July 24, the court heard, the complainant bumped into Makuni at Mkoba 16 business centre.
She positively identified him as the person who had robbed her last September.
The prosecutor told the court that the complainant, with the help of a female friend, dragged the accused to the police base in Mkoba Village 16 where he was detained.
Makuni, however, denied having seen the girl before. He said at the time the alleged crime was committed, he was at his rural home in Chiundura.
Source - chronicle
