adminMarvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
A 28-YEAR-OLD Esigodini gold panner allegedly robbed two women and proceeded to rape one of them at knife point.
Themba Mpofu of Habane Township appeared before Gwanda regional magistrate, Joseph Mabeza, charged with two counts of robbery and another of rape.
Mpofu allegedly robbed Berita Lunga, 63, of Filabusi and another woman who cannot be named whom he also raped at knife point.
He allegedly committed the offences on separate occasions but on the same day in Filabusi.
Mpofu denied all the charges saying the two women fabricated the story against him.
“I never set foot at the place where the alleged offences took place,” he said.
He was remanded in custody to June 17 for judgment.
Prosecuting, Johannes Tlou said on February 4 this year at around 1.15PM, Mpofu met Lunga and asked for directions to Esidulini and Dakwezi area. She directed him.
“The accused person was carrying an axe and started following the complainant while raising the axe. The complainant screamed and the accused person placed the axe on her neck and took her handbag containing a Nokia cellphone, $3,50, wrapping cloth and a school report then fled,” said Tlou.
He said at around 4PM on the same day, Mpofu allegedly met another woman and greeted her.
Further allegations are that Mpofu, carrying an axe and a paper bag with mealie meal allegedly drew a kitchen knife from his trousers which he said he was selling but the complainant indicated that she had no money.
Tlou said Mpofu then allegedly demanded some money from complainant threatening her with the knife and axe resulting in her giving him $5.
He said Mpofu also took away the complainant’s handbag with shoes and 2kg sugar. “After taking the property, the accused person force-marched the complainant to a stream and ordered the complainant to remove her panties and she complied.
“The accused person, while still holding his knife and axe in one hand, had sexual intercourse with complainant once without her consent,” Tlou said.
The court also heard that after the alleged rape, Mpofu instructed her to wipe his manhood. She did so using her panties.
He allegedly left the complainant and continued with his journey.
The complainant informed her husband about the traumatic experience and a manhunt for Mpofu was made with help of other villagers who then apprehended him before handing him over to the police.
Online Reporter