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Tinotenda Mdala

Cynthia Dube, Court Reporter
A TEENAGER from Pumula North suburb in Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly raping two women during meetings he organised after sending WhatsApp messages pretending to know them.

Tinotenda Mdala (19) allegedly threatened to shoot a 48-year-old woman who cannot be named for ethical reasons in January this year before raping her in a bush near Pumula High School.

A court heard that Mdala also allegedly raped a 28-year-old woman at knife point in the same bush on February 15 this year.

Mdala appeared before magistrate Mr Chrispen Mberewere facing two counts of rape.

He pleaded not guilty and Mr Mberewere remanded him in custody to today.

“I didn’t rape them. I don’t even know them,” he said.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said Mdala allegedly sent WhatsApp messages to the women asking to meet them while pretending to be someone they knew.

“On January 28, the complainant (48-year-old woman) received a WhatsApp message from the accused person. The complainant then responded and asked for mealie-meal from the accused person,” said Mr Manyiwa.

Mdala sent a message to the woman and told her to meet him at Pumula High School.

The court heard that the woman went to the school but she met Mdala who pretended to know her from somewhere.

“Accused person then stated that Bongani had sent him to come and collect her so that they can go together to collect the mealie-meal at Magwegwe shops. The complainant agreed to go with the accused person and he suggested they use a foot path which was a short cut,” said Mr Manyiwa.

“Along the way, the accused person strangled the woman, pushed her to the ground, dragged her off the path and threatened to shoot her. He raped the woman once without protection.”

It was not revealed in court if Mdala had a firearm when he made the threat.

The following month, Mdala allegedly pretended to be his alleged second victim’s friend and sent her a WhatsApp message saying he was looking for a maid.

The prosecutor said the 28-year-old woman who was in Tsholotsho travelled to Bulawayo as she was interested in the said job.

“Complainant (28-years-old) arrived at Renkini Bus terminus and accused person lied to the woman and told her that he was her friend’s son and his mother had sent him to collect her. After that, they boarded a kombi and disembarked at Pumula shops,” said Mr Manyiwa.

“They walked past Pumula High School and in the middle of the bush the accused person strangled the complainant, pushed her down and raped her at a knife point.”

The court heard that medical reports will be produced in court as evidence.

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