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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

THREE police officers stationed at the Tshituripasi Police Post in Beitbridge East are accused of taking turns to rape an 18-year-old teenager who had visited her aunt at the police station in June this year.

The trio, Jabulani Museba (33), Courage Majoni (32) and Enock Nyamupandu (35) have since been arrested for an offence committed between June 5 and June 13.

They were brought before Beitbridge regional magistrate, Mr Innocent Bepura, yesterday who remanded them in custody to 23 July for a possible trial.

The accused persons, who are separately charged, are being represented by Mr Muchiwande Sithole of F Chauke and Associates.

Prosecuting, Miss Tsitsi Mutukwa, alleged that the complainant arrived at the police station to visit her aunt who is currently stationed at the same police post at the beginning of June.

She said on June 5, at around 1800 hours, the complainant was bathing naked in one of the police post bathrooms when Museba sneaked in, grabbed her from behind, closed her mouth and pushed her to the ground.

He threatened to shoot the complainant if she told her aunt about the incident and the complainant believed him since he was armed with an unknown firearm.

The accused went on to remove his trousers halfway and raped her once with protection. The accused person left without saying anything and the complainant dressed herself, went home and did not disclose the matter to anyone.

Further allegations are that on June 8, around 1800 hours, the complainant was bathing in the Police Post bathroom and Majoni sneaked in, grabbed her by the neck and closed her mouth using the other hand.

He then threatened to kill her and raped her once with protection and disappeared.

The court also heard that on June 13 at around 2PM, the complainant was alone at her place of residence when Nyamupandu called her to collect the plates from a room where police officers keep food items.

The complainant entered the room and found the accused person alone in the room who immediately closed the door, took a kitchen knife and threatened to stab and kill the complainant if she told anyone about the incident.

The accused person then pushed the complainant to the ground, removed her clothes and raped her once with protection.

The state said the sexual abuse came to light on June 29 when the complainant narrated her ordeal to her mother upon her return to Bulawayo.

Her mother accompanied her to ZRP Western Commonage in Bulawayo and a report was filed leading to the trio’s arrest in Beitbridge at weekend.