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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
A ‘rapist’s attempt to kill his victim and her aunt backfired when the victim’s aunt overpowered and managed to suffocate him.

Phenias Moyo, 67, of BH 57 in Jambezi allegedly armed himself with two spears intending to kill the teenage girl and her aunt, Ntombizodwa Ncube, 55, but was overpowered and killed instead.

Moyo who was facing charges of raping the 13-year-old girl and was appearing before Hwange regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga, defaulted court on the fateful day.

Moyo allegedly had other plans, killing his victim and her aunt who had testified against him in court as a witness.

He allegedly raped the girl in November last year.

The three stayed in the same village and were related. Ncube, who lives with her teenage niece, is married to Moyo’s elder brother.

Hwange police received a report that Moyo had allegedly attempted to kill Ncube and the rape victim before taking his own life but when they attended the scene they discovered that Ncube had turned the tables on her attacker and overpowered him in self-defence.

The incident occurred at Ncube’s homestead on Thursday morning last week.

Ncube appeared in court yesterday charged with culpable homicide and was not asked to plead.

Victoria Falls magistrate, Sharon Rosemani, remanded her to March 13 on $100 bail.

The court heard how 55-year-old Ncube, stood up to the challenge of facing Moyo who was armed with two spears as he allegedly wanted to kill her together with her niece.

Prosecuting, Listen Nare said Moyo went to Ncube’s homestead on Thursday.

“On February 26 at 9AM the deceased armed himself with two spears and went to the accused’s homestead with the intention of fighting her. When he got there, he threw a spear and injured Ncube on the right palm,” said the prosecutor. The court heard that the two engaged in a fight. Nare said Ncube overpowered her attacker and grabbed him by the neck, slowly subduing him.

“A fist-fight ensued and the accused overpowered the deceased who she pressed to the ground with his face in the sand. She kept pressing on Moyo resulting in him suffocating,” said Nare.

The matter was reported to police in Jambezi resulting in Ncube’s arrest. Moyo’s body was taken to hospital for a post-mortem.