Serial ‘rapist, robber’  in court

Thandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A SERIAL rapist and robber who made his victims choose between death and rape appeared before a Bulawayo court yesterday facing three counts of rape and six counts of robbery.

Thulani Dube, 30, of Njube suburb only pleaded guilty to one count of robbing a woman of $404 and two cellphones, when he appeared before regional magistrate, Mark Dzira.

Magistrate Dzira remanded Dube to tomorrow for continuation of trial.

Two State witnesses have testified so far.

Dube allegedly raped three women and robbed six others within a space of 12 months.

His crime spree ended on June 1 when he was apprehended by a group of men who saw him robbing a woman in a wooded area in Richmond.

Tinashe Dzipe, the prosecutor, told the court that on March 13 last year, Dube met a 22-year-old woman who was looking for employment as a housemaid along Lobengula Street and told her he knew someone who wanted a housemaid and a shop assistant.

“They walked through Egodini (Basch Street Terminus) and passed through Makokoba suburb and proceeded to Trenance where they followed a footpath,” said Dzipe.

As they walked, he drew a knife and robbed the woman of her cellphone and $20.

Dube asked the woman to choose between being raped or being killed, to which she did not respond, it is alleged.

He forcibly undressed the woman and raped her once.

On June 4, 2014, at around 5PM, Dube, working with an unidentified woman who is still at large, lied to a woman that his mother wanted a maid.

The victim accompanied Dube and the woman to Trenance suburb where they said his mother resided.

“As they approached Northlea High School, the unidentified woman said she wanted to collect her younger sister from the school and advised the victim to proceed with Dube,” Dzipe told the court.

When they reached a bushy area, Dube produced a knife, demanded cash, searched the victim and stole two cellphones and $15.

The court heard that Dube ordered the victim to remove her jeans before raping her once. She returned to the city centre and informed her aunt who assisted her to make a report at Bulawayo Central Police Station.

“On June 7 of the same year, at around 9AM, Dube met another woman who was walking in a bushy area along Victoria Falls Road.

“He grabbed her by the hand from behind before asking her to choose between being raped or having her throat slit. In fear, the victim chose to be raped,” said Dzipe.

He said Dube dragged the woman from the footpath into the bush where he robbed her of a Nokia C1 phone before raping her. She reported the attack at Barbourfields Police Post.

Dzipe told the court that on December 3 last year, Dube, who pretended to be on his way to Lupane, approached Senzelweyinkosi Mhlanga who was going to Lupane.

The court heard that he pretended to have left his car at United College of Education (UCE) and the two walked along Victoria Falls Road.

“When they approached UCE, the accused drew a knife and demanded Mhlanga’s property.

“Mhlanga handed over her bag containing $100, R1,500 and other personal items worth $90. Nothing was recovered,” Dzipe told the court.

In April this year, Dube, who pretended to be a conductor of a mini bus ready for departure, also approached Sithulile Dube of Pumula South at Amakhosi Cultural Square where she was looking for transport to Victoria Falls.

They boarded a black Honda Fit heading in a direction where Dube claimed to have parked the minibus.

Dzipe said the two dropped off at Shonga Lodge turn-off where the accused produced a knife and forcibly took two cellphones and $404.

The property stolen was valued at $759 and nothing was recovered.

Dube was apprehended on June 1 this year when he led Morchratis Mlala of Emganwini Suburb to Richmond under the pretext that his boss wanted two female workers.

The two boarded a kombi and disembarked at Mpilo Hospital and proceeded to a bushy area towards Richmond.

“Dube realised that there were men approaching them and he grabbed Mlala’s bag and fled towards Richmond.

“The men ran after him and managed to apprehend him before surrendering him to the police,” said the prosecutor.

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