Serial robber, rapist jailed 31 years

Peter Matika, [email protected]@petematika

A 29-YEAR-OLD man from Clifton Park in Gweru has been sentenced to 31-years in prison for rape and robbery.

Obert Ncube appeared before a Gweru magistrate facing three counts of robbery and two counts of rape. According to the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) on March 5, 2023 Ncube and two accomplices who are still at large, ambushed the complainant who was walking home from the shops. Ncube then drew an okapi knife from his pocket, before snatching a cellphone valued at US$60. Ncube and the two other accomplices then dragged the complainant to a nearby bush.

“An argument ensued as the Ncube’s accomplices wanted to kill the complainant, while instead he wanted to rape her. Ncube then proceeded to rape the complainant while his accomplices watched from a distance,” read a document from the NPA.

The complainant is said to have managed to escape and hid in a pit until the following morning, where she made a police report.

Ncube was also charged for raping his girlfriend’s friend, aged 18 at knife point before going on to rape a commercial sex worker on August 6, 2023.

“On an unknown date, the accused person lured a commercial sex worker purporting to hire her services and dragged her to the railway line where he robbed her of her Infinix Hot 12 cellphone, valued at USD165.”

“He raped the complainant several times without protection overnight. The accused person was arrested on the 17th of September 2023 for a separate rape case. He was found in possession of the third complainant’s Infinix Hot 12 cellphone,” read the document.

“The third complainant positively identified the accused person. On the 18th of September 2023, the first complainant identified the accused person when she brought food for her relative who was detained at the holding cells.”