Rape accused says wife fabricated story after he caught her pants down

Mashudu Mambo
THE testimony of a 23-year-old man from Inyathi in Matabeleland North province who is facing two counts of robbery and one count of rape stunned the court after he revealed that his wife falsely accused him after he allegedly caught her pants down with her lover.
Mthokozisi Sibanda pleaded not guilty to the three charges before Bulawayo regional magistrate Sekai Chiwundura and was remanded in custody to Friday.
According to the state, the victim and the accused person are not related. During the trial, Sibanda indicated that his wife falsely accused him to cover up for her infidelity.
“On 24 June 2024, I paid my wife a surprise visit and found her in bed with her lover. My wife’s lover picked up a walking stick which was in our room and struck me with it. I picked up an empty beer bottle to retaliate and unfortunately he dodged and it struck my wife on the head. The phone that l am accused of stealing belongs to me and my wife,” he said.
State allegations against the suspect are that on 24 June 2024, at around 11pm, at Muckleneuk Primary School cottages, Sibanda went to the victim’s bedroom armed with a machete and a torch.
He forcibly unlocked the door and entered into the victim’s bedroom where she was sleeping together with her maid and her five-month-old baby.
Sibanda threatened to kill the victim with a machete and demanded cellphones and money from the complainant and her maid. They handed over their two cellphones, an Itel and Huawei and US$34.
After stealing the cellphones, he went on to demand sex from the 19-year-old maid. He threatened to kill her and ordered her to be quiet.
The state alleges that Sibanda force marched the maid out of the room whilst wielding a machete. While they were in the corridor, he ordered the victim to spread a blanket and undress, and she complied.
He raped her once and after the rape he forced marched the victim back to her room and left the scene. The next day, the matter was reported to the police and investigations were carried out leading to the arrest of the culprit.