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He told the court that he needed money to buy box files for his projects. He said he sold the first cellphone valued at $50 for $18 but he was arrested before he had disposed the second cellphone, a G-Tide.
Takavagadza admitted that he committed the robberies at knife point after being intimate with his victims in a bushy area at the Ascot Race Course.
While taking into account that he was a first offender who pleaded guilty to the charges, Mr Tagu said robbery was a very serious offence, which called for deterrent sentences.
He was remanded for trial on six counts of rape to 5 November and was not formally charged.
The State case as presented by the prosecutor, Mr Tinashe Dzipe, is that on 28 September this year, Takavagadza met his first victim at Manor Hotel and proposed love to her. After accepting his advances, the “lovers” boarded a lift headed for the United Bulawayo Hospitals where they would be intimate at his residence. However, the court was told that he was living in the bush at the race course. Prior to boarding the vehicle, the complainant had charged him $30 for the services, but he negotiated downwards to $20. They dropped off next to Ascot Race Course and he advised her that they were to use a footpath to get to UBH, but she refused and suggested that they use the tarred road.
Takavagadza allegedly produced an Okapi knife and allegedly force-marched her into the bush and they got to a spot where there were cardboard boxes spread out.
He allegedly ordered her to remove her pair of trousers, wore a condom and allegedly raped her once.
He thereafter allegedly raped her twice but this time without a condom, the State alleges.
After the alleged rape, Takavagadza, who was still wielding the Okapi knife, ordered his victim to surrender her Sony Ericson cellphone valued at $50. He then released her and the cellphone was never recovered. On 14 October, Takavagadza went to the same hotel and proposed love to his second victim.
The “lovers” then boarded a lift to UBH, where he allegedly said he worked as a dentist, after agreeing to a fee of $25 for the sexual favours.
They dropped off near the UBH turn-off and using the same modus operandi, he allegedly force-marched her into the bush where he allegedly had unprotected sex with her at knife point thrice.
After the alleged rape, Takavagadza robbed her of her G-Tide cellphone, which was recovered after his arrest.
Online Reporter