A 20-YEAR-OLD man from Denver, Bulawayo, has been convicted of rape by the Bulawayo Regional Magistrates’ Court.
Thabisani Sibanda was found guilty by magistrate Archie Wochiwunga and remanded in custody while awaiting sentencing.
He had pleaded not guilty, claiming that he was not at the scene when the offence occurred.
However, during proceedings, he conceded to facts that were consistent with the complainant’s account of events.
“I had denied the charges because I was panicking because it was my first time to commit an offence and I was only trying to defend myself against these charges, but failed,” Sibanda said.
The prosecution proved that on the morning of December 1 2025 at Plot 8, Hellenvale B, Umguza, Sibanda entered the 26-year-old victim’s residence and demanded money.
After telling Sibanda that she did not have money, the victim attempted to flee, but he pursued her, threatened her and raped her in a nearby bush.
The matter was reported to the police and the complainant was referred to a medical facility for examination.
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The complainant’s husband testified that he saw a man matching Sibanda’s description on the
roadside and later received a call from his wife describing the attacker.
“I saw him on my way to work, but I didn’t pay much attention to him because he was on the roadside, so I thought he wanted to board a kombi,” he said.
The court heard that the complainant was able to identify the accused through some distinctive physical features.
“She told me that the person who assaulted her has a scar on the stomach,” the husband said.
Sibanda was arrested after a report was made to the police.
