Driver arrested in Macheke after kidnapping 25 school children from Harare

HARARE – Police have arrested a 60-year-old man on kidnapping charges after 25 children he was supposed to drive to their homes from school turned up in Macheke, 103km away.

Police were tipped off by other motorists who reported hearing children crying in a stationary Nissan Caravan on the Harare-Mutare Road on Thursday. The vehicle had run out of fuel.

Responding officers found 25 children, 14 girls and 11 boys, aged between 4 and 8 – all learners at David Livingstone Primary School in the kombi with 60-year-old driver Samuel Honde.

He had picked up the children from the school at 1PM.

“Honde was contracted by parents to ferry learners to and from David Livingstone Primary School from their respective residencies around Harare since 2016,” a police report of the incident seen by ZimLive said.

“Police interrogated the driver on where he was heading and he stated that he was going to Kuwadzana Extension in Harare. He was arrested for kidnapping and escorted to Macheke Police Station.

“Next of kins of the children were advised and the pupils were ferried to Marondera Provincial Hospital for medical examination.”

Honde, who lives at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Kuwadzana Extension, is expected to appear in court soon.

Zimlive