Sperm harvesters on the loose in Bulawayo

A GROUP of female sperm harvesters is on the loose in Bulawayo after three women reportedly drugged and sexually assaulted a man who they had given a lift, with police warning the public not to accept free rides from strangers.

In the past, there have been reports of women who allegedly pounce on hitchhikers and later collect their sperms reportedly for ritual purposes.

Last month, three women allegedly kidnapped and took turns sexually assaulting a 21-year-old man in Harare. The trio gave a lift to the man, along Samora Machel Avenue, before injecting him with an unknown substance. They then took turns raping him and collecting his semen.

In Bulawayo, 2016, three women allegedly abducted a man from Cowdray Park and forced him to have sex with them before taking away his semen.

The suspected sperm harvesters were said to be driving a white Toyota Cresta.

In 2011, three Gweru women were arrested after being intercepted at a road-block with 31 used condoms containing semen.

The three, Rosemary Chakwizira, 24, Sophie Nhokwara, 26, and Netsai Nhokwara, 24, all of Mkoba Village Four, faced 17 counts of aggravated indecent assault but were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube, said on Monday evening, three unknown women allegedly waylaid a 26-year-old man from Pumula South suburb into their car after asking him for directions.

"Police in Bulawayo are investigating a case of aggravated indecent assault whereby a male adult aged 26 of Pumula South was sexually abused by three unknown female adults," he said.

"Circumstances are that on the 27th of June 2022 at around 1900 hours the complainant was walking along an unnamed tarred road in Old Pumula, Bulawayo when he was stopped by one unknown female adult who was driving a blue Honda Fit (registration number unknown). "The driver asked the complainant for directions to reach Ashy's Sports Bar, Pumula South, Bulawayo. The complainant offered to accompany the accused person since he was also going in the same direction," said Insp Ncube.

He said the man entered the car and saw two more female occupants who were seated in the back passenger seat.

"The two female accused persons made the complainant sit in the middle and asked him what he was drinking. The complainant showed the accused person opaque beer, which he had poured into a water bottle," said Insp Ncube. "The accused persons offered the complainant a glass of beer, which he failed to identify from its taste and he drank it once," said Insp Ncube.

He said after gulping the drink the man lost consciousness and woke up on a bed with the three women naked.

"The complainant became unconscious after drinking the beer and only gained consciousness when he was lying on a bed in a house somewhere with one female accused person standing naked beside the bed but he cannot remember the place.

"The accused person undressed the complainant who then lost consciousness again," said Insp Ncube.

He said the man woke up the next morning, dumped near Robert Sinyoka Primary School.

"The complainant gained consciousness on 28 June 2022 at around 05:45 hours and he found himself lying by the roadside near Robert Sinyoka Primary School, Pumula, Bulawayo.

"The complainant discovered some whitish substance on his stomach while passing urine and he suspected that the accused persons might have had sexual intercourse with him without his consent while he was in their custody," said Insp Ncube.

He said on the same day at around 10AM, the man narrated the ordeal to his aunt who then accompanied him to the police station where he made a report.

Insp Ncube urged members of the public to help with information that will lead to the arrest of the women.

"We urge public members not to entertain and accept free rides from strangers. We appeal to the members of the public with information that may lead to the arrest of the accused persons to report to the nearest police station," he said.

The rape of men is viewed as something hard to believe, as many in society cannot comprehend how a man can be erect and ejaculate under duress.

Traditionalists say it is possible for men to be raped and these women might be using the sperm for ritual purposes such as getting rich.

Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers Association president, Mr George Kandiero, said the victim will be in a semi-conscious but sexually aroused state.

"They give the men aphrodisiacs and after that one will be semi-paralysed and at the same time you are very aroused," he said.

"Then they do as they wish with the person. The way of extraction is part of the ritual for them to get their desired results. They either use the semen for money rituals or even to fix certain men or to lure them. There's muthi, as they mix it with semen and bathe with it," said Mr Kandiero.

He said the victims need to be spiritually cleansed.

"Unfortunately for the victim, they need cleansing as this will affect them in bed as they won't perform anymore and spiritually, you're no longer okay. They need a diviner who will find out what happened to the victim as this is witchcraft," said Mr Kandiero.

He said the sperm has to be taken by duress as the spells will not work if it is given up voluntarily.

Mr Kandiero said some women collect the sperm for rich people.