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Hopley rapist jailed 19 years for robbery, rape

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A 26-YEAR-OLD Hopley farm man was last week imprisoned for 19 years for raping a woman who had disembarked from a commuter omnibus at night and robbing her.

A 26-YEAR-OLD Hopley farm man was last week imprisoned for 19 years for raping a woman who had disembarked from a commuter omnibus at night and robbing her.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Trymore Sekai was slapped with an 18-year prison term for the rape charge and another year for robbery. He will, however, serve an effective 16 years after Harare magistrate Hosiah Mujaya suspended three years on condition of good behaviour.

The court heard that on January 22 this year at around 8:30pm the complainant, who is not named to protect her identity, disembarked from a commuter omnibus at Mbudzi Roundabout and followed a foot path off Chitungwiza road towards Waterfalls and she met two ladies who were going the same direction and walked with them.

It was revealed that when they had approached a stream, Sekai and his accomplice who is still at large suddenly appeared from a maize field. The two walked past the complainant and the other two ladies but then abruptly stopped and grabbed the complainant by the neck. The complainant screamed, while the other two ladies fled from the scene.

As Sekai was grabbing the complainant his accomplice forcibly took the complainant’s satchel containing a camera, 15 new exercise books and $15 cash. The pair pulled the complainant into the maize field and started to assault her demanding more money.

The two then dragged the complainant down the stream and Sekai raped her while his accomplice was holding her hands. The court was told that Sekai and his accomplice fled the scene after they heard some voices of passers-by.

After the ordeal the complainant proceeded to report the matter to the police with the help of people who saw her coming out of the stream. Sekai was later arrested and he was positively identified by the complainant at a parade. George Manokore prosecuted.