Admire Chatindo
A 53- year -old man from Bikita, appeared before Masvingo regional magistrate Bishard Chineka facing three counts of robbery and one of rape of which he went away with US$1 on one of the counts.
The matter was postponed to October 19 2023 for continuation of trial.
It is a state’s case as presented by prosecutor Liberty Hove that on August 1, 2023 at Makangaidze Village in Bikita, the accused Jealous Tobaiwa used an axe and iron bar threateningly, with intentions to stab and kill Clementine Munyika, the rightful owner of property to which Tobaiwa wanted to have possession over.
Tobaiwa took US$1-00 after damaging two window panes and one wooden door into pieces using the axe and iron bar before getting away.
He proceeded on the same day at Foroma, Bikita to another house where he pounced on a female victim (name withheld) and knocked thrice on the door before damaging a metal screen door, metal door frame and one wooden door using an iron bar to gain entry into the house.
He displayed an axe and iron bar to the victim and demanded for cash while threatening to kill her after he which he took two cellphones and US$70 from her wallet.
The accused then pulled the complainant outside the hut demanding for more cash and ordered her to undress before dragging her into a nearby bush where he raped her once in the presence of a 16 year old girl.
He fled the scene and proceeded to 74 year old Esnath Mariga, his third victim’s house where he broke a wooden door on her house using the same axe and iron bar to gain entry.
Tobaiwa threatened to kill the old lady using his two weapons and forcibly took US$25 from the woman and disappeared into the darkness.
On August 4, police picked information to the effect that the accused had been seen by Winnet Mukotami and another female juvenile who had seen him on the same day at their place of residence with the same clothing items and weapons intending to commit the same crime.
The two who knew the accused by name and physical appearance informed the police leading to the arrest of the accused at his workplace. The accused led the police to his homestead where the clothing items from the night the crimes were committed were recovered together with the weapons and US$40.
