A Harare police officer was kidnapped after a routine traffic stop spiralled out of control. The alleged perpetrators, kombi driver George Mfuka, 24, and his conductor Sonchess Tafadzwa Soche, 32, now find themselves in custody at Harare Central Police Station, facing serious charges.
The ordeal began when Assistant Inspector Tashinga Mashiri, performing his duties as part of a Provincial Reaction Group with Constable Leeyer Mumba, spotted Mfuka committing a traffic violation. The officer approached the driver after he was caught dropping passengers at an undesignated point along Julius Nyerere Way.
Police Officer Kidnapped In Harare CBD
Assistant Inspector Mashiri reportedly instructed Mfuka to disembark all the passengers from the commuter omnibus, registration AGP 8458. The driver refused. In a move that shocked all present, the police officer entered the vehicle in an attempt to assert his authority.
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It was at this critical juncture that the conductor, Soche, allegedly intervened. A source close to the investigation revealed the tense moment, stating,
“Tafadzwa influenced George to lock the doors and drove away with the police officer along Robert Mugabe Road.”
With passengers still on board, the kombi sped off, holding Assistant Inspector Mashiri captive against his will.
The kombi, with its unusual detainee, proceeded from Robert Mugabe Road onto Simon Muzenda Street, initiating a desperate pursuit. Constable Mumba and other reaction team members swiftly mobilised, giving chase in a police vehicle.
For approximately thirty minutes, the bizarre convoy navigated the evening traffic, with the passengers inside the kidnapped kombi becoming increasingly distressed and fearful for their own safety. The situation only reached a tipping point when the vehicle reached Chiremba Road in Eastlea.
Passenger Pressure Forces an End to the Ordeal
It was the complaints from the trapped commuters that ultimately forced the driver’s hand.
“The passengers were complaining,” a police insider confirmed. “George stopped to drop them off along Chiremba Road since the passengers were complaining.”
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This momentary pause provided the pursuing officers with the opportunity they needed. They moved in and apprehended Mfuka and Soche without further incident, bringing the harrowing event to a close around 8.30 pm. Assistant Inspector Mashiri was safely recovered, undoubtedly shaken but physically unharmed.
While National Police Spokesperson Commissioner Nyathi could not be reached for an official comment, it is understood that the two men are being held under case number IR 100905.
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The post Police Officer Kidnapped By Kombi Driver And Conductor In Harare CBD appeared first on iHarare News.
