Gang-rape victim left for dead

Four men appeared in court yesterday for allegedly gang-raping a 22-year-old woman, before dumping her on the road in the middle of the night.

The woman was brutally assaulted and raped before she was left for dead along Mufakose Road.

Paddy Mlambo (23), Kelvin Chiromudzimu (22), Elson Masawi (25) and Simbarashe Mlambo (28) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Josephine Sande yesterday facing rape charges.

They were denied bail and remanded in custody to April 9.

It is alleged that on March 21 at 2100hrs, the victim accompanied her friend who sought to report a theft case against Simbarashe at Marimba Police Station.

Simbarashe had allegedly stolen the victim’s friend’s cellphone and she had left him locked up in her house so that the police could arrest him.

Once at the police station, the friend allegedly instructed the victim to take her keys and wait for her at her house.

Simbarashe escaped from the house and teamed up with his gang.

Simbarashe’s gang, which was in a commuter omnibus, met the victim while she was on her way to the friend’s house.

They allegedly stopped the commuter omnibus, grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her into the vehicle.

They then assaulted her several times on the face using their hands before they burnt her skin with a cigarette.

They drove along Mufakose Road and suddenly stopped before switching off the lights.

The court heard that Masawi and Simbarashe went out of the vehicle and Paddy proceeded to rape the victim, while Chiromudzimu was covering her mouth. Chiromudzimu also raped her soon after. When they were done, Masawi and Mlambo allegedly returned to the vehicle and also raped her. — The Herald