Yeukai Karengezeka, Court Correspondent
THREE women from Harare have appeared in court after allegedly hijacking a man's vehicle before subjecting him to aggravated indecent assault.
Diana Sibanda (35), Brendy Lebogang Msipa (35) and Tabeth Harris (33) appeared before Harare Magistrate Mrs Tilda Mazhande on Tuesday charged with aggravated indecent assault and robbery.
The three were not asked to plead and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
They were remanded in custody to February 12.
The 20-year-old man from Mazowe mine was attacked on Saturday at around 5am while driving along Leopold Takawira Street in Harare.
According to the prosecutor, Mr Anesu Chirenje, he was negotiating a pothole at the corner of Fife Avenue and Leopold Takawira Street when Sibanda took advantage of his slow speed.
She allegedly opened the passenger door, entered the vehicle, and grabbed the gear lever, preventing him from driving.
Sibanda then grabbed the complainant's Samsung Note 20 Ultra from the car's armrest. A car driving behind them hooted, prompting the young man to pull over to the side of the road.
Sibanda then allegedly produced a screwdriver, pointed it at him, and ordered him to drive to a flat on Herbert Ushewokunze Avenue.
He complied and when they arrived, he followed Sibanda into the flat while repeatedly asking for his phone. At the flat, Sibanda knocked on the door, which Msipa opened.
Both women entered the room, with the young man following behind, still pleading for the return of his phone.
The door was then locked from the inside by Msipa, and the attack escalated. Inside the flat, Sibanda forcibly undressed the man and sexually assaulted him.
Meanwhile, Msipa and Harris demanded money. He handed over US$20, but the women searched his pockets and stole an iPhone 6.
The trio then escorted the complainant back to his car, searched it and stole a power bank, a phone charger, and a modulator from the vehicle.
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They then demanded another US$100 for his freedom. Told that he had money at his workplace, the women hired a taxi to take him there and were given $80.
After leaving the man's workplace, the trio returned to town and proceeded to a shop to make purchases. While there, the man spotted police officers patrolling the area. He shouted for help, attracting the officers' attention. The police quickly intervened, arresting the three accused women and recovering some of the stolen property. The total value of the stolen property was US$103, of which US$40 was recovered.
