Students in kidnap drama

A THIRD-YEAR student at the Zimbabwe School of Mines in Bulawayo is at the centre of a kidnapping storm following sensational revelations that he hired a taxi and went to one of his female classmates' house where upon arrival he allegedly bundled her into the hired car and took her to his place.

Tinashe Kalisa (23) from New Parklands suburb is alleged to have abducted a female classmate of the same age and whose name is being withheld for ethical reasons.

The victim is also reportedly the daughter of a senior member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).

This was heard when Kalisa appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Amanda Nkosinathi Ndlovu charged with kidnapping as defined in Section 93 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

Kalisa, who is pleading not guilty, was remanded out of custody on free bail to 2 November 2021 for continuation of trial.

Allegations against Kalisa are that on 26 September 2021 and at around 5am, he phoned the victim asking her to come out of the house claiming he wanted to see her since he had a problem.

The court heard that when the victim went outside the gate, she found Kalisa sitting in the taxi before she asked him to come out so that he could tell her his problem.

It is alleged that Kalisa immediately came out of the taxi and forcibly held the victim by her hand and dragged her towards the taxi as she resisted.

The victim was reportedly overpowered and Kalisa forcibly bundled her inside the taxi which already had its doors open.

The driver is alleged to have quickly locked all the doors the moment the victim was inside and drove along Cecil Avenue heading to New Parklands suburb.

When the victim asked Kalisa why he forced her into the taxi and where he was taking her to, he reportedly kept quiet. The court further heard that when they arrived at Kalisa's place, they both disembarked and the driver drove away.

Kalisa is reported to have passionately begged the victim to accompany him inside his house to no avail. The victim later went back to her place leaving a seemingly frustrated Kalisa alone.  She later phoned her father narrating the ordeal and he (father) advised her to report the matter to the police leading to Kalisa's arrest.

Kalisa is, however, denying the allegations and through his lawyer he said the victim fabricated the allegations in order to "fix" him because he had disappointed her the previous night by not taking her out as she was eager to go out as they usually did.

"On the 25th September 2021 in the afternoon the accused person had agreed with the complainant to go out for drinks for the whole night. At or around 5pm on the same day the accused person went out with his friends without advising the complainant of his change of plans.

"The accused person spent the whole night without communicating with the complainant. The accused person only contacted the complainant   the following day at around 0507 hours advising her to prepare so that they go together to his place of residence to which the complainant agreed," Kalisa's defence outline reads in part.

He stated that upon arrival at the victim's place, he advised her to come inside the taxi and she complied freely and voluntarily.

He further stated that when the taxi driver dropped them at his place and while they were still by the gate, the complainant started accusing him of disappointing her by making her to wait up for him the previous night without advising her of his change of plans.

"The complainant therefore would not listen to the explanation proffered by the accused person and hastily took a U-turn while shouting that he should continue prioritising his friends.

"Accused person therefore denies in toto ever dragging the complainant into the car as alleged or at all. The complainant fabricated those allegations in order to fix the accused person because he had disappointed her the previous night as she was eagerly ready to go out as they usually do," argued Kalisa's lawyer.

He argued that it was clear from the victim's submissions that she wanted to portray him as a stranger who had come to her place of residence to drag her into the car and deprive her of her freedom.

The lawyer further stated that the victim also wanted to make the court believe that she had no other relationship with the accused save for the fact that they were both third year students at the Zimbabwe School of Mines.

"It was also her version that her and the accused had never at any point in time gone out or had any cordial relationship. However, upon cross examination, it was established beyond reasonable doubt not only does the accused person and the complainant have a cordial relationship but they possibly have a sexual relationship between them that's so because of the evidence adduced from her during cross examination.

"She confirmed that she and the accused person had a propensity of chatting up to odd hours. She also confirmed that they had a propensity of inviting each other to their private residences and she had promised the accused that she was going to visit him at his place of residence," argued Kalisa's lawyer.