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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A serial rapist and armed robber who raped 13 women in Cranborne, Hatfield and Queensdale in Harare and then robbed them of their valuables has been convicted and will be sentenced today. Thomas Brighton Chirembwe (29) raped the 13 women without protection and only two of his victims deflected his assault, one by praying and the other by lying that she was HIV positive.
Chirembwe was facing 30 counts. He was not tried on nine counts after witnesses did not show up. He ended up facing 21 counts and after hearing the evidence regional magistrate Mr Rojers Simon Kachambwa convicted him on all counts.
Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza said Chirembwe deserved more than 90 years behind bars.
“From September 18, 2011 to November 6, 2012, the accused was a one-man urban terrorist unlawfully entering people’s houses robbing them and raping the women.
“He moved around with appropriate tools of trade that is an iron rod, knife, spanners and his manhood in his trousers. The crimes were pre-planned. He was callous because rape is the worst form of invasion of privacy and robbery is a very traumatic experience,” he said.
“In these courts in the State versus Mulamuleli Mpofu, the accused was convicted of 19 counts of rape and armed robbery and was sentenced to 90 years in prison. Chirembwe has been convicted of 21 counts, therefore he should not expect a sentence which is less than 90 years in total.”
On September 18 2011 at around 4am, a 31-year-old woman was sleeping in her bedroom when Chirembwe broke into the house armed with a knife, switched off the lights and demanded money. He was given US$30 and then proceeded to rape the woman.
In September 2012 Chirembwe raped a Queensdale woman three times before stealing household goods and money.
On December 5, 2012 Chirembwe forced his way into another house and stole valuables worth thousands of dollars.
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Harare woman was kidnapped, robbed and then raped by one of the three armed robbers who offered her a lift from the city centre to Dzivarasekwa on Thursday night.
Instead of going to Dzivarasekwa the robbers went to Epworth where one of them raped the woman.
The woman lost US$250, two mobile phones and a handbag to the robbers.
Acting Harare provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Tarirai Dube said the woman accepted a lift offered at Copacabana bus terminus at around 9pm.
When the robbers sped off towards Epworth the woman asked them to stop. But one drew out a knife and ordered her to comply with their orders.
They drove to Epworth where two of the robbers forced her to get out of the car and walked to a secluded area where they demanded cash.
The robbers then asked her to remove her clothes but she refused. She only removed her clothes after one of the robbers produced a knife and threatened her with death.
She was raped once.
Asst Insp Dube said the woman was assisted by people at a nearby house.
No arrests had been made and investigations were in progress.
Online Reporter