Tinotenda Hove – Police have revealed that the abduction of two-year-old Asanda Ndlovu from a crowded shopping centre in Bulawayo was carried out by a 14-year-old girl — not a man as first believed.

The child was taken from Meikles Market on Tuesday and was found safe two days later at business premises along Herbert Chitepo Street and 3rd Avenue.

The teenager, a Form One pupil whose identity is protected because she is a minor, appeared before the media on Friday with her face concealed. She admitted she orchestrated the kidnapping in an attempt to mislead her 36-year-old boyfriend, identified only as Mumba, into believing she had a child.

“Mumba asked me if I have a child and I said yes. So he asked me to bring the baby. That’s when I went to Meikles,” she said.
According to her account, she pretended to be a customer at a stall where the toddler’s mother works.

“When I got there the baby was crying and I lifted her up. She stopped crying. She is a friendly baby,” she told reporters.
Investigators had initially been searching for a male suspect after reviewing unclear CCTV footage. The girl said she made no serious attempt to conceal her identity, explaining she simply “pulled a hoodie” over her head.

She said her plan was to return the child after presenting her to Mumba, but alleged he instructed her to remain at his house in Trenance until Thursday morning.

The toddler was later rescued after the teenager left her with a man at a block of flats, claiming the child’s father was nearby. The man grew suspicious and alerted security personnel, prompting police involvement.
“I’m really sorry. I made a mistake. I’m asking for forgiveness,” the teen said.

During the two days she was missing, the child was reportedly fed rice, hot chips and corn puff snacks.

The suspect is set to appear before a juvenile court. Meanwhile, Meikles Market management said they would be “implementing measures to strengthen safety protocols” to help prevent similar incidents in future.