A Rwandan-born man charged with kidnapping a seven-year-old girl firmly denied knowing anything about the incident in Wellington District Court today.
Benjamin Mangirane, 21, unemployed, faced charges of abducting the girl and trespassing at Reading Cinema in Wellington's Courtenay Place after being told to leave.
Mangirane told the court he knew nothing about a kidnapping when police grabbed him at the cinema complex and took him to the police station.
"I don't know anything about this," he shouted to Judge Andrew Becroft, who told him to be quiet, before explaining the New Zealand court process to him.
He was remanded in custody until Friday.
The charges follow an incident which happened at 11.30am on Saturday.
The seven-year-old girl, waiting at traffic lights at the intersection of Adelaide Road and Britomart Street in Berhampore, was picked up by a man who attempted to carry her off.
A passerby heard the girl's screams and challenged the offender, who put down the girl and fled on foot.
