Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
A SUSPECTED serial murderer and rapist has appeared at the Gwanda Regional Magistrates Court facing a charge of murder and two charges of rape with more cases still under investigation.
Nqobani Ncube (30) of no fixed aboard was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Ms Brenda Kachepa facing a murder charge. He was renamed in custody to November 3.
Ncube was further convicted on his own plea of guilty to two charges of rape by Gwanda regional magistrate, Ms Sithembiso Ndebele. He was remanded in custody to Friday (October 23) for sentencing.
Ncube is alleged to have been living in a tent on a mountain at the outskirts of Gwanda Town where he would allegedly abduct and sexually assault victims.
Prosecuting, Mr Ngonidzashe Shumba said on 14 October Ncube kidnapped a 23-year-old woman and held her hostage for two days where he raped the complainant twice.
“On 14 October the accused met complainant near some abandoned houses near Mt Gazallet in Gwanda. He grabbed the complainant from behind then produced an Okapi knife and threatened the complainant.
“The accused dragged the complainant by the hand deep into the bushes south of Old Gwanda Road until he reached a place where there were rocks,” he said.
“Ncube then ordered the complainant to lie down and raped her. The accused took the complainant to a place where he collected a screwdriver, a kitchen knife with a red handle and a large axe. He again took her to a pit where he took a green bucket and collected water,” the court heard.
“The accused then led the complainant to a shack, some distance south east of the Bulawayo -Beitbridge Road. He then forced the complainant into the shack.”
Mr Shumba said the following day Ncube tied the complainant to a tree with shoe laces and left her and returned later. Upon his return he released the complainant before raping her again.
Mr Shumba said the accused person later tied the complainant to a tree and went to collect water. Before being tied the complainant picked a small green pocket lighter in the accused’s shack.
The complainant managed to use the lighter to burn the shoe laces to free herself and fled. She stopped a taxi along the Beitbridge -Gwanda Road and narrated her ordeal.
The matter was reported to the police and on Saturday (17 October 2026) the complainant led the police to the shack where she identified the accused to the police leading to his arrest.
Under the murder charge Gwanda District public prosecutor Mr Shepherd Moyo said Ncube attacked the now deceased who was on his way home from work.
“On 26 September 2026 at around 3PM, the now deceased was going to his homestead from work using a dust road, which passes through Gwanda Solar Project farm, Spitzkop North, Gwanda. He was approached from behind by the accused who was armed with a long spear,” he said.
“The accused person stabbed the now deceased once on the left side of the neck and he fell on the ground. The accused snatched the deceased’s small black cross bag containing a Samsung cellphone and R20 rand. The deceased managed to escape and ran towards the three witnesses who were also using the same dust road heading to their homes,” he said.
Mr Moyo said the now deceased fell down in front of the three witnesses bleeding profusely from mouth and nose and was not able to speak. The deceased later succumbed to the stab wound before he could be ferried to the hospital. The matter was reported to the police and the body of the now deceased was ferried to Gwanda Provincial Hospital mortuary.
