Bulawayo nurse raped and robbed

By Sharon Buwerimwe

A 32-YEAR-OLD nurse from Bulawayo is lucky to be alive after she was allegedly gang raped at knife point by armed robbers at her Cowdray Park home.

Promise Mpunzi (24) and Nkosixolo Mpofu (28) from the same suburb allegedly sexually abused the woman before robbing her of cash and property worth more than $ 3 670.

Mpunzi and Mpofu pleaded not guilty to rape and robbery before Western Commonage magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove.

The duo was remanded in custody to October 9 for continuation of trial.

Prosecuting, Mr Kenneth Shava said on August 29 this year at around 1AM, the woman was home alone sleeping when the robbers allegedly broke into her house.

“The complainant was woken up by unusual movements within the house after the accused persons had forced open the locked door to gain entry.

“The woman switched on a torch on her cellphone to check what was happening. The accused persons threatened her with a knife and covered her face with a black plastic bag,” said Mr Shava.

“The accused persons took the woman’s handbag that had particulars, cash, a 32-inch television set, cell phone, Kango steam iron and Ecco DVD player. Before leaving her house, Mpunzi and Mpofu dragged the woman into her bedroom and raped her”.

The woman said there was no electricity when robbers broke into her house.

“I heard noises of people trying to break into my house and I switched on my torch. Before I could do anything two men were already in my bedroom,” said the woman.

She said she pleaded with the men to use protection when raping her.

“The accused ordered me to lie on my stomach facing down, I pleaded with them to use protection when raping me and they replied using Shona saying, ‘ Unopenga unofunga kuti handingashandisi condom vanhu vachirwara kudai’, (You are mad, you think I can fail to use a condom when so many people are ill) and took turns to rape me,” she said.

The value of the stolen property is $3 670 and nothing was recovered. The Chronicle