adminSukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A MACHETE wielding gold panner from Gwanda allegedly raped, robbed and assaulted two women from Mangwe District.
Gift Mthombeni, 21, allegedly attacked his two victims aged 40 and 42 on the same night while they were sleeping.
He appeared on initial remand before Plumtree magistrate, Gideon Ruvetsa facing two counts of unlawful entry, two counts of assault, two counts of rape and two counts of theft.
Ruvetsa remanded Mthombeni in custody to October 21.
Prosecuting, Elisha Mazorodze said Mthombeni who is from Guyu Village in Gwanda went to the homestead of his first victim aged 42 at around 10PM and found her asleep in her bedroom hut.
“Mthombeni forced open the woman’s bedroom door and found her sleeping alone.
“He choked her and pushed her to the ground. Mthombeni who was armed with a machete ordered the woman to undress and threatened to chop her up if she refused,” said Mazorodze.
“The woman complied and Mthombeni raped her once and then ordered her to hand over all her money. He took R140 and fled the homestead,” he said.
Mazorodze said Mthombeni proceeded to the homestead of his second victim who operates a tuck-shop in Mphoengs.
He said the 40-year-old woman was asleep inside her shop and Mthombeni broke down the door.
The illegal gold panner, the court heard, choked his victim who wrestled with him and broke free.
Mazorodze said Mthombeni forced her to the floor.
“Mthombeni retrieved his machete and threatened to strike the woman if she resisted.
“He raped her once. He then took goods valued at $200 from his victim’s tuck-shop and fled from the scene,” said Mazorodze.
He said the second victim recognised her attacker as one of her customers from the mining areas and reported the incident to the police.
Community members, Mazorodze said, pursued Mthombeni who had fled from his place and they caught up with him while he was boarding a bus in a bid to flee to Gwanda.
They handed him over to the police resulting in his arrest.
Mazorodze said the two women who were attacked positively identified Mthombeni as their assailant.
He said the machete, some of the goods he had stolen from his second victim and money were found in his possession.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter