22 soldiers ransacked lodge, raped women
A group of 22 Zimbabwe National Army soldiers ransacked a lodge in Harare, robbing, assaulting and raping women who were guests there. Two of the soldiers were caught and appeared in court on Thursday.
Fungai Kashitigu (31) and Kennedy Chitsaka (30), based at Mounted Unit Regiment at Inkomo Barracks, teamed up with about 20 other soldiers who are still at large and targeted the lodge on the 6th of March this year.
Kashitigu and Chitsaka allegedly raped two women aged 20 and 21 while other gang members watched. The two were not formerly charged when they appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts.
Prosecutor Ms Fadzai Kuipa said on March 6 this year at around 6am, a 20-year-old woman was sleeping with her boyfriend when four men in army uniform pulled her from the blankets and pushed her outside.
Her boyfriend fled and about 20 more uniformed men gathered outside the woman’s room and whipped her under the feet and on her back, hurting her badly. Chitsaka and four of his colleagues allegedly dragged her back into the room and threw her on the bed before locking the door from inside.
Chitsaka, the prosecution says, asked the woman to fondle his private parts while his accomplices looked on. Ms Kuipa told the court that the woman refused and Chitsaka slapped her in the face. One of Chitsaka’s alleged accomplices, who is on the run, allegedly demanded money.
He was given US$20, but he then grabbed the woman’s wallet which had US$75 and a cellphone. Chitsaka allegedly raped her without protection while his colleagues watched. They then fled.
In the other case, Ms Rufaro Mhandu for the State, alleges that another 20-year-old woman was in her room when she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door and saw four men in uniform sta-nding at the door. Two pulled her outside while Kashitigu and another ransacked her room.
It is alleged that they slapped and punched the woman before whipping her and throwing her back into the room. The State further alleged that the gang left, but Kashitigu came back as the woman was about to run away and raped her once.
Ms Mhandu said Kashitigu went out briefly and came back with another soldier whom he introduced as his “boss” and when she tried to explain what had happened, the man slapped her and ordered her to keep quiet.
The “boss” allegedly tried to rape her, but she managed to escape. The woman made a report to the police leading to the arrest of the two.
If you have any information on this incident and where the other suspects might be hiding please send your information in confidence to [email protected]
