News / National
'Mini-skirt' attack, suspect denied bail
03 Jan 2015 at 04:05hrs | Views
A tout based at Fourth Street bus terminus who was among the group that indecently assaulted a Harare woman accusing her of being a prostitute as she walked past was yesterday denied bail when he appeared before Harare magistrate Milton Serima.
Blessing Chinodakufa, who was not asked to plead, was remanded in custody to January 12, 2015.
He becomes the second person to appear in court over the incident after Marvellous Kandemiri, who is already in police custody.
State counsel Sharon Mashavira told the court that Chinodakufa, Kandemiri and their co–accused who are still at large on December 17 last year stripped the woman when she arrived at 4th Street Rank from Kuwadzana on her way to Ruwa.
She said although the complainant made efforts to cover herself up, the accused persons prevented her from doing so as they continued pulling her dress up to her waist and lowering her panties with the intention of removing it.
The court also heard that although the complainant managed to temporarily escape after getting into a parked commuter omnibus, the accused persons pulled her out before closing the door.
The complainant managed to get into another commuter omnibus, but the accused person and his colleagues continued harassing her.
It is further alleged that the touts got hold of her legs and pulled her out of the vehicle and she fell to the ground during the tussle.
The accused person and his co-accused allegedly continued harassing the complainant, calling her a prostitute and pulling her dress.
The woman managed to flee into another commuter omnibus where the driver and the conductor asked her to pay $2 so that they could take her away from the scene. After she had paid the money, they drove her away to safety.
Chinodakufa and Kandemiri were arrested after a leaked video footage capturing the drama went viral on social media networks. In the alleged video, the woman was taunted and physically abused by several men with others pulling down her undergarments.
Kandemiri allegedly later invited his colleagues to hurl insults at the woman, pushing and shoving her as she sought refuge at the stationary kombis at the rank.
The complainant later filed a police report after the police had called on her to report the matter following the emergence of a video clip of the incident which went viral on social media.
Blessing Chinodakufa, who was not asked to plead, was remanded in custody to January 12, 2015.
He becomes the second person to appear in court over the incident after Marvellous Kandemiri, who is already in police custody.
State counsel Sharon Mashavira told the court that Chinodakufa, Kandemiri and their co–accused who are still at large on December 17 last year stripped the woman when she arrived at 4th Street Rank from Kuwadzana on her way to Ruwa.
She said although the complainant made efforts to cover herself up, the accused persons prevented her from doing so as they continued pulling her dress up to her waist and lowering her panties with the intention of removing it.
The court also heard that although the complainant managed to temporarily escape after getting into a parked commuter omnibus, the accused persons pulled her out before closing the door.
It is further alleged that the touts got hold of her legs and pulled her out of the vehicle and she fell to the ground during the tussle.
The accused person and his co-accused allegedly continued harassing the complainant, calling her a prostitute and pulling her dress.
The woman managed to flee into another commuter omnibus where the driver and the conductor asked her to pay $2 so that they could take her away from the scene. After she had paid the money, they drove her away to safety.
Chinodakufa and Kandemiri were arrested after a leaked video footage capturing the drama went viral on social media networks. In the alleged video, the woman was taunted and physically abused by several men with others pulling down her undergarments.
Kandemiri allegedly later invited his colleagues to hurl insults at the woman, pushing and shoving her as she sought refuge at the stationary kombis at the rank.
The complainant later filed a police report after the police had called on her to report the matter following the emergence of a video clip of the incident which went viral on social media.
Source - NewsDay
