Online Reporter
Moreblessing Ncube
TWO Tsholotsho men allegedly turned their neighbourhood into a scene of horror after going on a one-night rampage, targeting women who lived just a few houses away.
Mehluleli Nkomo (28) and Johani Mpofu (27) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Archie Wochiwunga, facing multiple counts of rape and sexual assault. The pair were remanded in custody until 24 November.
According to prosecutor Concilia Ncube, the terrifying incidents occurred on 14 August at around 8PM. In the first incident, a 19-year-old woman was walking to Brenda Nkomo’s homestead. Along the way, she met the accused men — one holding a sjambok, the other an axe.
The duo allegedly ordered her to turn off her phone light before dragging her to Nkomo’s residence. There, they reportedly threatened to kill her if she resisted. Mpofu stood guard outside while Nkomo allegedly forced the woman to undress and raped her.
After the assault, Mpofu opened the door, giving the shaken woman a chance to escape. She ran to her grandmother’s house and reported the matter before the police were alerted.
The dastardly duo was not done for the night. Around 10PM, they attacked a 15-year-old who is doing Form Three at Tsholotsho High School, in her sleep. The accused allegedly broke into her home, dragged her into a bushy area and Nkomo raped her before they returned to the house. Mpofu was later found under the same blankets with the girl when her sister arrived, forcing him to flee.
A few hours later, around 1AM, the pair allegedly targeted a 20-year-old woman, forcing their way into her home. Nkomo reportedly slapped her and tried to drag her outside, while Mpofu stood watch. The complainant managed to escape and sought refuge at a neighbour’s house, where she revealed what had happened.
Investigations linked all three attacks to the accused, who live in the same community as the victims, one of them is a distant relative.
The shocking spree has left Tsholotsho residents reeling, calling for harsh punishment and tighter community protection.
Both accused remain behind bars, awaiting trial for what villagers have dubbed “a night Tsholotsho will never forget.”
