Man arrested for raping 20 women

A MAN from Masvingo suspected to have been terrorising villagers in Nemamwa area on a rape and robbery spree and is suspected to be responsible for close to 20 cases reported in the area inside four months has been arrested.

Enoch Vengesa (38), whose residential address could not be immediately established, was arrested last week and is assisting police with investigations.

Although police could only confirm one case against the suspect, police sources in Masvingo told Sunday News that Vengesa was suspected to have been responsible for about 20 rape and robbery cases in Nemamwa since November last year.

Police sources say the modus operandi employed in most of the cases reported in Nemamwa area in the said period was the same, leading to suspicion that Vengesa could have been the assailant.

According to the sources Vengesa is alleged to have waylaid his victims naked, pretending to be mad and would chase after them before raping and robbing them of their valuables.

However, luck ran out for Vengesa after a 13-year-old girl he raped on 5 February this year managed to positively identify him.

Acting Masvingo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Kudakwake Dhewa confirmed the case involving the 13-year-old girl for which he said Vengesa was being held, while other cases were still being investigated.

Asst Insp Dhewa said on 5 February this year Vengesa met the juvenile in a bushy area in Nemamwa. The girl was alone on her way home and he chased after her before raping her once.

"The girl reported the matter to police and gave a description of the assailant. A few days later, while police were doing their rounds, they met Vengesa at Nemamwa growth point, who matched the description given by the girl and they apprehended him. An identification parade was conducted and the girl managed to positively identify Vengesa as the person who had raped her.

"He appeared in court for initial remand and was remanded to 27 February," said Asst Insp Dhewa.

Police sources revealed that Vengesa had confessed to raping and robbing 20 women in the area when he was quizzed by police and blamed his heinous act on evil spirits.

"He appeared remorseful and seemed sorry for his act which he blamed on evil spirits. When he was asked by police how many people he had raped he said 20, much to the shock of everyone.

"There had been a number of rape cases reported in and around Nemamwa area and all of them had almost similar circumstances as the method used by the assailant was the same. This led to police suspecting that Vengesa could have been responsible for all the cases which are close to 20," said a police source.

Asst Insp Dhewa could not confirm the other cases against Vengesa, saying investigations were still being carried out to establish if the suspect was linked to the other cases.

"Officers at various stations in the area are still investigating other cases but the cases have not yet been linked to Vengesa. So far only one case has been confirmed. We will update you if there are any other cases brought against him.

"Right now we are trying to bring people who might have been raped in the area and are yet to identify the assailant to visit Nemamwa police station and help in investigating their cases.

"We shall be conducting an identification parade for Vengesa to establish how many cases are against him," he said.

Vengesa last week appeared before a Masvingo magistrate's court for initial remand and was remanded in custody to 27 February as police are still conducting investigations.

He was not asked to plead.