25 years jail for fugitive rapist

By Babington Machingura
A 29 year old man from Mvuma who had been on the run for seven years after raping and robbing a passenger in his vehicle, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Patrick Chakuwamba of Mucheri village, Chaka in Mvuma appeared before Gweru Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing rape and robbery charges

Chakuwamba had been on the run since 2011 when he committed the offence.

He denied the charges claiming that he had consensual sex with the complainant (name withheld to protect her identity) accusing her of being a lady of the night.

Mrs Msipa convicted Chakuwamba after a full trial and sentenced him to 20 years for rape and 5 years for robbery.

Chakuwamba will, however serve an effective 18 and half years in prison after six and half years were suspended on condition of good behaviour.

During trial, a friend of the complainant said she was the target of the rape but Chakuwamba turned to the first complainant after learning that she was on her menstrual period.

“I was seated in front when he said he wanted to sleep with me. I told him that I was on my menstrual period and because he doubted me, he forced his fingers down my private parts,” she said.

Chakuwamba, the complainant said, then tied her friend with a cable before raping her twice.

It is the State’s case that on May 19, 2011 Chakuwamba met the first complainant at Chicken Slice Complex in Mvuma where she was looking for transport to Beitbridge.

Chakuwamba offered to transport the complainant and her friend who boarded his vehicle before he drove off towards Masvingo.

On approaching the 223km peg along Harare-Masvingo road, Chakuwamba pulled off the road and disembarked.

He armed himself with an iron bar and took an electrical cable from the bonnet of his car.

The court heard that Chakuwamba initially wanted to rape the complainant’s friend but she was saved by being on her menstrual periods.

Chakuwamba tied the friend up with an electrical cable and ordered the complainant to lie down on the back seat of the car and raped her once using a condom. After 30 minutes of rest, he raped her once more but without using a condom.

The accused person robbed the complainant and her friend of $25, two pairs of trousers, two Samsung cell phones and a bottle of perfume.

Chakuwamba forced them off his vehicle and drove off. Total value stolen was $120 and nothing was recovered.

A report was made to the police but Chakuwamba fled before he could be arrested.

He was however, arrested this year following a tip off. Mr Kelvin Guveya appeared for the State.

–The Chronicle