Chronicle Editor
Midlands Bureau Chief
TWO men from Silobela in the Midlands province have each been sentenced to 30 years in prison after they were convicted of breaking into a house where, they took turns to rape a 26-year-old woman before stealing her property.
Mqhelisi Ncube (20) and Lizwelihle Manyathela (23) who come from Chief Malisa’s area took turns to rape the woman without using any protection.
Ncube and Manyathela appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing charges of rape, theft and breaking and entry.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They were however convicted after a full trial and sentenced to 30 years on the three counts each.
Ncube and Manyathela will serve 25 years each after Mrs Msipa suspended five years.
It was the State case that on September 13 around 11 PM, the accused persons proceeded to the complainant’s house (name withheld to protect her identity).
The duo broke the complainant’s door and entered her house without her permission.
While inside the house, the court heard that Ncube ordered the complainant to give them all the cash she had in the house but she refused.
Ncube further ordered the complainant to remove her under garment. She refused.
The court heard that Ncube slapped the complainant on the face before he pushed her to the wall and forcibly removing her under garment.
Ncube pushed the complainant on the bed before raping her once without protection while Manyathela stood by.
After Ncube had finished raping the complainant, Manyathela lowered his trousers and underwear and raped her once.
The court heard that after Ncube and Manyathela finished raping her, they stole the complainant’s amplifier, Sony speaker and groceries all valued at $800 and ordered her not to leave the house.
The complainant then peered through the window and noticed that the accused had gone before rushing to a neighbour to seek help. The matter was reported to the police leading to the arrest of Ncube and Manyathela.
Online Reporter