Guard rapes student over ID

A security guard at a tertiary college in Masvingo (name withheld) allegedly raped a female student in return for her Identity Card he had confiscated after finding her with a boyfriend outside campus.

Pedzisai Takawira (35) was not asked to plead when he appeared before Masvingo provincial magistrate Mr Langton Ndokera who remanded him in custody to March 21. He faces rape charges.

In denying him bail, the state led by prosecutor Mr James Murambiza, argued that Takawira was likely to interfere with state witnesses since he was employed at the college where the complainant was a student. The state further argued that he could also abscond trial since he was facing a serious offence that could cost him his job and result in his incarceration.

Allegations against Takawira are that on March 4 he saw the complainant and her boyfriend who is also a student at the college walking outside the college premises after permitted hours.

He allegedly confiscated the complainant's student ID together with that of her boyfriend and ordered them to return to their hostels. Later that evening Takawira proceeded to the complainant's hostel and summoned her to the guardroom at the college on the pretext that he wanted to give her the ID back.

Upon arrival at the secluded guardroom near the college dining hall, Takawira allegedly demanded to be intimate with the complainant in return for the ID.

He proceeded to rape the complainant once in the guardroom before giving her back the ID.

The complainant immediately informed her boyfriend and a report was made to college authorities who in turn notified the police.