The Sunday News
Thembekile Ntuliki, Sunday News Reporter
A 30-YEAR-OLD man from Mberengwa District has been arrested for a spate of robberies, rape, and theft charges in the West Nicholson area of Gwanda District.
The man, Tawanda Rusvazi has since appeared before Gwanda magistrate Mr Tawanda Muchemwa facing three counts of robbery, theft and one of rape.
Presenting the State’s case, Mr Mncedisi Dube told the court that on 17 March around 1am at the 140km peg along Beitbridge Road, Dubane, Collen Bawn in Gwanda District, Rusvazi allegedly approached Mr Bhekinkosi Bhebhe where he threatened him with a machete demanding cash and a cellphone.
The court was told that he managed to forcibly take from Mr Bhebhe, an Itel P36 cellphone, 200 rand, ZW$8 000 and various clothing items.
An Itel P36 cellphone
It was the State’s case that Rusvazi did not end there but on 25 April around 9.30pm he proceeded to use the same modus operandi against Mr Prosper Nyoni of Geelong 20 Mine, West Nicholson where he assaulted Mr Nyoni several times all over the body while threatening to harm him with a machete demanding cash, gold and keys to the carbon room.
He then forcibly took away a Mobicel cellphone, a shovel, a small pot and ZW$2 500. He proceeded to rape a woman at the mine.
A few hours later at 3am Rusvazi approached another mine in the West Nicholson area where he used violence against Ms Muchaneta Gasura threatening her with an Okapi knife and pepper sprayed her demanding cash and cellphones.
He robbed her of an Itel cellphone, ZW$1 000 and some groceries. The prosecutor opposed bail saying he believes that he is likely to commit similar offences if remanded out of custody. He was remanded in custody to 13 May.
