Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
Serial rapists are on the prowl in Bulawayo, targeting teenage girls who have relatives in the diaspora.
The rapists allegedly ask the girls to accompany them to collect groceries and, on the way, they rape their victims.
Girls aged 18 and 15 were raped in the same way last Saturday.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said there are rapists who are on the loose, luring teenagers under the pretext that they should accompany them to collect parcels sent by their relatives from South Africa.
“Police in Bulawayo are investigating two cases of rape which occurred in Gwabalanda and Luveve on the 12th of February 2022.
The complainants are a female adult aged 18 years of Njube suburb, Bulawayo and a female juvenile aged 15 years of Old Pumula, Bulawayo,” said Insp Ncube.
“We appeal to members of the public to assist with information which may lead to the arrest of the accused persons.
Let’s share this new method of criminal activity and warn others on these lone rapists who target young women on the pretext that they have their parcels from relatives in South Africa, then pay for their transport to secluded areas where they get sexually abused.”
Insp Ncube said the first incident occurred last Saturday afternoon.
“On the 12th of February 2022 at around 12.30PM, the complainant, a female aged 18 years of Njube, was at home with her grandmother when the accused person arrived and told her that he was working with Tichaona, a cross border transporter who usually transports groceries for the family from South Africa,” said Insp Ncube.
“The accused person told the complainant that he wanted her to come with him to collect a table in Gwabalanda that had not been delivered when the previous parcel was delivered by Tichaona two weeks back.”
Insp Ncube said the would-be rapist and his victim boarded a white Honda Fit at Emagetsini and disembarked in New Luveve.
“The accused suggested that they should walk through a bushy area leading to Gwabalanda and whilst walking in the bushy area, the accused slapped the complainant once in the face, took her Samsung Galaxy S5 from the complainant trousers’ pocket.
He then, placed the okapi knife on the complainant’s neck, pushed her on the ground, forcibly removed her clothes and raped her once without protection.
After the rape, the accused person left the complainant at the scene and went away.
The report was made around 7.30PM and the accused was not located,” said Insp Ncube.
In the second incident on the same day, Insp Ncube said a 15-year-old was raped in Luveve after being lured using the same method from Old Pumula.
“The accused person told the complainant that he was a cross-border transporter and was given some goods by her grandmother who is in South Africa.
They boarded a red Honda Fit from Old Pumula which the rapist allegedly paid and disembarked near Masina Bar, Luveve.
They walked and passed the Luveve cemetery sign post into a bushy area,” said Insp Ncube.
“The accused person caught the complainant and assaulted her with fists on the face several times.
The accused person then removed her clothes and raped her once without protection. The report was made and the accused was not located.”
Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi
Online Reporter