Rape-accused ex-VP’s son remanded in custody

Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Reporter 

SIQOKOQELA Mphoko (44), son of the former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko, was yesterday arraigned for allegedly raping his 12-year-old niece and escaping from police custody. 

Mphoko who is facing three counts of rape, was remanded in custody to September 15 by regional magistrate Mr Mark Dzira. Allegations are that sometime between July and August this year, Mphoko raped his niece who was staying with him at his Hillside house in Bulawayo. 

The State, represented by Acumen Khupe, alleges that from April to August this year, the girl was in Mphoko’s custody and she lived with the family in Hillside. 

“One day between July and August, Mphoko pushed his niece to the bed and pressed her down before raping her once. On another day unknown to the prosecutor but during the period between the month of July and August 2022, Mphoko proceeded to his niece’s bedroom and covered her mouth with a piece of cloth,” said Mr Khuphe. 

He pushed her to the bed and allegedly raped her once before leaving the room. On another separate incident during the same period, Mphoko went into the girl’s bedroom and threatened to suffocate her with a pillow if she made noise and allegedly raped her for the third time. 

Mr Khuphe said a medical examination was conducted and a report will be produced in court as evidence. 

The court also heard that on 30 August, at around 4.30pm at ZRP Hillside Charge Office, Mphoko was arrested and brought to the charge office for a crime of rape by Assistant Inspector Admire Donha.

While in the charge office, he was booked for detention under ZRP Hillside detention book reference number 284/22 and he had signed for his belongings for detention.

“The accused person requested to get his medication from his motor vehicle which was parked outside the police station. The accused person was escorted by Constable Chimuka to his motor vehicle, he, however, jumped into his vehicle and sped off to unknown destination,” said Mr Khuphe

Mphoko was represented by Mr Thabekhulu Dube of Ncube and Partners .

On Wednesday morning, Mphoko posted a video on Ezra Tshisa Sibanda’s Facebook page saying he was handing himself over to police after running away.

“Good morning to everybody, my name is Siqokoqela Mphoko. A praying man, a God-Fearing man and a family man. Today…Yesterday actually, I was called to the Hillside Police Station and a rape charge laid against me. No investigations were done, but that’s still fine. Yesterday, I ran away from the police station because I felt that there was no fairness in my case. I felt that things were not done properly and I felt that there was a hand behind it that is not Government.” -@thamamoe