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Tanaka Mrewa, Court Reporter
A 50-YEAR-OLD woman who was harvesting maize in her fields in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb is traumatised after a man attacked her and demanded that she “opens her legs”.

Zibusiso Ncube (32) allegedly told the woman that he wanted to do “things” to her before pushing her to the ground, choking her and attempting to rape her.

The woman bit Ncube’s finger in retaliation forcing him to loosen his grip.

He punched her several times in the face and fled.

The woman screamed for help drawing the attention of residents who attacked Ncube and surrendered him to a security guard at Tategulu Primary School in Cowdray Park.

Ncube pleaded guilty to an assault charge when he appeared before Western Commonage Magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube yesterday.

He was sentenced to an effective 90 days in prison.

Prosecuting, Ms Magret Takawira told the court that on Wednesday March 22, Ncube approached the woman when she was harvesting in her field.

“Accused claimed that complainant had startled him. He drew closer to her and told her he wanted to do ‘things’ to her. Complainant was terrified by accused. She lifted an axe she was using to harvest her maize but it fell apart and she was left with just the handle in her hands,” she said.

Ms Takawira said Ncube seized the opportunity and pushed the woman to the ground and choked her.

“Accused sat on top of complainant. He ordered complainant to open her legs but she refused. She attempted to reach for his genitals but she failed. She screamed for help. Accused firmed his grip around her neck. Complainant tried to fight accused. She got hold of his finger and bit it hard forcing accused to loosen his grip. He assaulted her with fists several times in the face before he fled from the fields,” she said.

Ms Takawira said people who were close to the fields heard the woman screaming and drew closer to have a look.

They saw Ncube fleeing from the fields and chased him.

He was allegedly caught by the mob and was assaulted severely before they surrendered him to a security guard at Tategulu Primary School in Cowdray Park where police came and took him away.

—@tannytkay