adminWalter Mswazie Masvingo Correspondent
AN axe-wielding Gutu man recently ambushed a woman coming from hospital to receive routine treatment for tuberculosis (TB) before raping her.Takunda Hondova, 29, of Chief Gutu area was convicted on his own plea of guilty for raping a 20-year-old TB patient by Masvingo regional magistrate Judith Zuyu yesterday.
The magistrate slapped him with 18 years in prison of which three years were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The prosecutor, Mukai Mutumhe said Hondova, who could have been observing the patient’s movements for some time, emerged from behind her victim on a secluded path armed with an axe and demanded sex on Wednesday.
In court, Hondova readily admitted to the charge and pleaded for forgiveness.
“I do not know what caused me to rape the woman. I plead for forgiveness. May the court be lenient to me. I will never do it again,” said a remorseful Hondova.
Mutumhe said on May 28, at about 10AM, the complainant was on her way home from Gutu Mission Hospital where she received daily injections for tuberculosis.
The court heard that upon her arrival at Mamoyo Mountain just near the hospital, she noticed Hondova, who could have been hiding, coming from behind and decided to give way for him to pass.
Instead of passing, he ordered the woman to stop and bend down while brandishing an axe in his right arm.
The court further heard that the complainant denied and started screaming for help but Hondova ordered her to keep quiet while raising his axe, threatening to strike her.
He pulled up the woman’s skirt, removed her panties and raped her once.
Afterwards, he told her to go away and not look back.
The woman then met a fellow male villager and narrated her ordeal.
The villager followed Hondova but failed to catch up with him.
A report was made to the police and the woman was referred to the hospital for medical examination. The medical report which was produced in court as an exhibit showed that the woman had been raped.
A manhunt was launched leading to Hondova’s arrest on the same day.
Online Reporter