Samuel Honde (60), arrested Thursday on allegations of kidnapping 25 pupils from David Livingstone Primary School briefly appeared in court Saturday facing kidnapping charges.
Honde was arraigned before Harare magistrate Letwin Rwodzi who ordered the state to proceed in terms of section 26 of the Mental Health Act.
Honde will remain in custody and be examined by two state doctors before returning to court on February 2.
Some parents contracted him to ferry their children to and from school and he has been doing this since 2016.
It is State’s case that Honde was apprehended at the 103-kilometre peg along the Harare-Mutare Road in Macheke following a tip-off from a passer-by who spotted his suspicious behaviour.
According to the authorities, investigations by the police established that the suspect had parked the vehicle after it had run out of fuel.
Circumstances are that, on 18th January 2024 at around 1300 hours, the suspect picked 25 learners, 14 girls and 11 boys at the school and drove towards Macheke instead of driving the pupils to their respective homes in Kuwadzana and surrounding areas.
The learners have since been reunited with their parents after undergoing medical examinations at Marondera Provincial Hospital.
Source New Zimbabwe
