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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
A DARING man who raped and then looted his victim’s property has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars.

Calvin Ngwenya, 22, from Maphani Village under Chief Dingani in Hwange District, Matabeleland North Province pleaded not guilty to robbery and rape charges when he appeared before Hwange magistrate Mark Dzira.

He was, however convicted and slapped with a 20 year sentence; 18 years for rape and two years for robbery.

The magistrate said Ngwenya had committed a serious offence.

The rapist will however serve an effective 17 years in jail after three were conditionally suspended from the total jail term on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within five years.

Prosecuting, Tawanda Sigauke told the court that the crimes were committed on November 5, 2012 when Ngwenya visited the woman’s homestead in a neighbouring village pretending to be desperate and in need of water to drink.

“On November 5, 2012 at around 1PM the complainant was alone at home when the accused arrived and asked for water to drink. He was given the water and left,” said Sigauke.

He said moments later Ngwenya returned to the homestead and entered a bedroom hut where the woman was doing some household chores.

He grabbed her by the throat and forced her onto the floor.

“The accused armed himself with an axe he found in the hut and threatened the woman with it so she could not scream for help.

“He demanded money and was told that there was no money in the house after which he packed some property that included a solar inverter, an amplifier, a pair of tackies, sheets, and a Nokia mobile phone.

“The accused then forcibly removed the woman’s panties and raped her once,” said the prosecutor.

He said after that, Ngwenya, who was self-employed as a mechanic, put the stolen property in a plastic bag and left.

The property was worth R1, 510.

The woman narrated her ordeal to other family members who helped her make a report leading to Ngwenya’s arrest.