Zimpapers Logo

Codelia Mondela, Court Reporter
A 19-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo armed himself with an okapi knife and allegedly raped a 57-year-old woman twice as she walked home from a bar in Old Magwegwe suburb.

A court heard that Mandlenkosi Phiri of Old Magwegwe, who had been in the same bar with the woman, followed and grabbed her from behind.

He allegedly produced a knife and demanded money from the old woman before tripping her to the ground and allegedly raping her.

Phiri allegedly took his victim’s cellphone and force marched her to a house under construction where he raped her again.

Phiri appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza facing theft and rape charges.

He pleaded guilty to theft of the cellphone but not guilty to rape charges.

Mr Mabeza remanded him in custody to tomorrow for continuation of trial.

“I only took her cellphone. I never raped her and I was not armed with a knife,” he said.

The woman said Phiri followed her after she left the beer hall. She said he tripped and raped her along a foot path. After the rape the old woman said Phiri told her to follow him or else he would kill her.

“He led me to a house that is still under construction and told me to choose whether I wanted to live or die. I chose to live and he raped me for the second time. He instructed me to wait along the path, but I fled and hid in the hedge of a house that was nearby,” she said.

Prosecuting, Mr Tinashe Dzipe said Phiri and the old woman were at a local bar on September 9 this year.

Mr Dzipe said at around 8PM, the old woman left and Phiri followed her. He grabbed her from behind, drew an okapi knife and demanded money.

“He tripped the old woman and raped her. He took her cellphone and force marched her into a house which is still under construction before raping her for the second time.”—@MondelaC.