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Sylvester Chiramba, Court Reporter
AN axe wielding 26-year-old man from Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly breaking into a house and stealing property before raping a woman he found there.

Mbonisi Sibanda from Cowdray Park suburb allegedly stole a cellphone and a plasma television set before raping the woman, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, on April 12 in the same suburb.

Sibanda allegedly broke into the woman’s house armed with an axe and forced her to open the door so she could carry the television set outside.
He allegedly raped her afterwards.

Sibanda was not asked to plead to rape and theft charges when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu on Monday.

Mr Ndhlovu advised him to apply for bail at the High Court and remanded him in custody to May 10 for provision of a trial date at the Regional court.

Prosecuting, Mr Brian Nkala said on April 12 at midnight, the woman was at her place of residence sleeping with her three sisters when she heard someone smashing the kitchen window.

“The woman shouted intending to scare away the intruder but he shouted back saying he wanted to kill her. He got in the house and went to the bedroom where the four women were. He threatened to kill them with the axe if they screamed for help,” said Mr Nkala.

“He took away the complainant’s cellphone after he discovered that the women had no money. Sibanda forced her to open the kitchen door and ordered the complainant to take the plasma TV outside. While outside he ordered her to take off her clothes and he raped her once using a condom”.

The court also heard that one of the woman’s sisters met the man at a clinic last Tuesday leading to his arrest.

Meanwhile, a 30-year-old man from Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly breaking into a house in Mpopoma suburb and raping an 18-year-old woman until she fainted.

Marshal Nyamugure from Mpopoma suburb and his accomplice who is on the run allegedly raped the woman, who cannot be named for ethical reasons, last Monday.

Nyamugure was not asked to plead to rape charges when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndhlovu yesterday.

Mr Ndhlovu advised him to apply for bail at the High Court and remanded him in custody to April 20 for provision of a trial date at the Regional court.

Prosecuting, Mr Brian Nkala said on Monday at around 5PM, the woman entered into her room from the toilet and found two men inside the house.

“One of the men produced a knife and ordered the woman to kneel down threatening to kill her if she refused. He then took an electric cord and tied her hands with the assistance of his accomplice,” said Mr Nkala.

“They put a sock in her mouth and bound her mouth with a scarf before putting a plastic bag over her face. Nyamugure’s accomplice then raped her once while he held her hands. Afterwards the accused also raped the woman until she became unconscious.”

The court heard that the woman’s husband found her unconscious with the plastic bag over her head.

The matter was reported to the police and the woman was referred to hospital for medical examination.—@SlyCee10