The whereabouts of money stolen from a handbag on a crowded bus is still a mystery after the matter was heard in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

The accused, Shadae Reid, was charged with simple larceny.

The complainant told the court that on the day of the incident she came in contact with the accused after she had asked her to hold her handbag, as they were both passengers on a crowded bus. According to the complainant, the accused was seated and so she took the opportunity to ask her to hold her bag, as she was without a seat.

bus fare

During the journey, the complainant went into her bag to retrieve some money to pay her bus fare, revealing where exactly in her bag her money was kept.

As the journey continued, the complainant told the court she noticed some suspicious hand movements from the accused towards her bag. When she checked her handbag afterwards, she realised money was missing.

The complainant said she confronted the accused and asked her about her missing money but the accused denied having any knowledge about the money.

The complainant said she asked the driver of the bus to take her to the nearby Cross Roads Police Station so that she could have the police search the accused. However, the driver did not cooperate and the accused afterwards disembarked the bus.

not successful

According to the complainant, she went downtown to make a complaint to the police there, but she still was not successful.

She decided to return to the area where the accused had disembarked the bus, where she gave a description of the accused to persons in that area. A breakthrough was achieved when someone who knew the accused, and who was also travelling on the bus, identified her to the complainant.

The complainant told the court the missing money was never recovered.

Reid is to return to court on November 30 when the matter will go to trial. She also had to submit her fingerprints to the police.