By Sukulwenkosi Dube
PLUMTREE – The Madlambuzi man, who allegedly raped a Grade Seven pupil and his friend’s mother recently, has reportedly raped and killed another woman.
Limukani Sibanda, 24, a serial criminal who is on the run, raped and killed his unnamed girlfriend from Hingwe area last Friday.
Police have indicated that they received a report on the incident but are still to verify the allegations. His relatives in Plumtree said they received the news of Sibanda’s latest offence from other relatives.
“There’s a girl that Limukani was dating who is from Hingwe area and we received news that she’s been murdered by him. The details that we’ve are sketchy as we’re yet to find out what exactly transpired,” said Sibanda’s elder brother.
Hingwe villagers said they were even more afraid after Limukani’s latest gory strike because their nearest police post was more than 20km away in Madlambuzi.
Tsukuru village head, Doubt Moyo, said the new development had worsened fear among villagers where Sibanda first struck.
“This man has to be arrested soon because people are now more scared than ever. His home is in our area and he has relatives here meaning that even if he’s reported to have invaded another village he’s likely to come back here,” he said.
Madlambuzi villagers withdrew their children from Tsukuru Primary School, the only school within a 20km radius, following Tuesday’s vicious sex attack on a Grade Seven pupil by Sibanda. He allegedly tried to throttle the pupil and left her for dead.
An hour later, he molested his best friend’s 42-year-old mother, broke both her arms and fractured her skull before raping her and robbing her of R700.
He fled the scene leaving her for dead.
She later regained consciousness and was taken to hospital. She is battling for life at United Bulawayo Hospitals after being transferred from Plumtree District Hospital.
The woman’s husband, a feared inyanga in the community, last week told Chronicle his ancestors had shown him a vision in which villagers attacked and killed Sibanda. The 64-year-old warned that if Sibanda was not arrested soon he would be fatally assaulted by an angry mob of villagers.
He called community members on Wednesday last week and told them about Sibanda’s tragic fate. The inyanga then proceeded to the police and pleaded with them to arrest the culprit before villagers committed a serious offence.
He said he got most of his visions in his sleep and most of them come true. He said he had received a vision prior to the incident which befell his wife and he had warned her.
A number of villagers from the area have launched a manhunt of their own for the culprit.
Women from the area have also expressed their fear and unwillingness to accompany their children to school.
A number of pupils from the area have in the past been victims of rape as they have to pass through bushy areas to reach the school, about 20km away.
Meanwhile, police have intensified their hunt for the suspect as they deployed the dog section to affected villages. Sibanda is suspected to be hiding within the area.
Officer commanding Bulilima and Mangwe Districts, Chief Superintendent Macdonald Samuriwo, assured members of the public that they would have the culprit behind bars soon.
He referred further questions to Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Philani Ndebele who said he was out of office and so could not comment. The Chronicle