Woman raped as lover flees

A GROUP of five men reportedly ambushed a Filabusi couple, threatened the man who fled from the scene before one of them raped the woman.

Kennedy Wonder Ndlovu (23) of Marumba B Village in Filabusi was not asked to plead when he appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a rape charge last week. He was remanded in custody to 9 September for trial.

Prosecuting, Miss Ethel Mahachi said Ndlovu raped the woman on 13 February at around 3am while she was on her way from a nightclub with her boyfriend.

"On 13 February at around 3am the complainant and her boyfriend left Sibiya Nightclub in Theleka Business Centre in Filabusi where they had been drinking and proceeded home. After they had walked a distance of about 500 metres from the nightclub they were approached by a group of five men who were flashing torches and Ndlovu was among them.

"Ndlovu produced a catapult and threatened to assault the complainant's boyfriend who fled from the scene leaving his girlfriend behind. Ndlovu dragged the complainant into the bush for a distance of about 100 metres while his friends followed," he said.

Miss Mahachi said Ndlovu pulled the complainant into a disused mine about five metres deep and raped her while his friends watched. She said after he was done Ndlovu and his friends left and he forgot his catapult and a black hat at the scene.

Miss Mahachi said the complainant went back to the business centre where she sought assistance and the matter was reported to the police. The police attended the scene and recovered Ndlovu's belongings. She said Ndlovu who was on the run was arrested on July 10.

Meanwhile, a 38-year-old Bulawayo man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl who is a Form Four pupil at a local college.

The man from Queens Park West who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi last week.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo told the court that on 31 July, the girl was coming from a butchery in the area when she met the man who was driving along the way. The man however, drove along Free Road and upon reaching Robert Mugabe Way, he turned at the Post Office into Cardigan Road towards a bush.

Then along the way he suddenly parked his car. The court also heard that he then jumped to the passenger's seat where the girl was seated and opened a condom. He adjusted the seat and raped the girl once.

After the incident he threatened the complainant not to tell anyone what had happened. The case was later reported to Queens Park police station leading to the man's arrest.