Teen breaks into brother's bedroom, strangles and rapes sleeping sister-in-law

A teenager from Kelamenda village in Binga allegedly broke into his brother's bedroom, strangled his sleeping wife before raping her.

This was revealed when the 18-year-old man appeared before Binga resident magistrate Stephen Ndlovu on Monday facing a rape charge.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, denied the charge and told the court that he had an existing love affair with his brother's wife and she only reported him to the police to cover up their relationship after suspecting that she was pregnant.

The magistrate remanded him in custody to January 13.

Prosecutor Bruce Maphosa told the court that on December 29, the man went to his brother's house when he was away and broke into the bedroom where his sister-in-law was sleeping.

The woman only woke up during the strangulation and tried to fight back, but she was overpowered by the man who raped her once.

It is the State's case that after raping her, the man threatened to kill her and her baby if she ever told anyone about the incident.

The woman reported the alleged rape to police in morning, leading to the man's arrest.