Serial rapist who raped several female vendors, jailed 32-years

Deputy Chief Magistrate Bianca Makwande has sentenced a Harare man who raped several female vendors, to 32 years behind bars.

Among the allegations was that on April 6 last year at around 3pm, he raped a popcorn vendor in Tynwald before robbing her of US$7, 50 at knife point. Some of his other victims were fish and doughnuts vendors.

The 37-year-old Farai Denga will serve an effective 20 year jail term after magistrate suspended 12 years on condition that he do not commit the same offence in a period of five years.

Denga would approach the vendors pretending as if he wanted to buy their wares before asking them to accompany him to his residence, would rape and rob them along the way.

Denga was being charged with five counts of rape and six counts of robbery and his victims, who are not named for legal reasons, were aged 19, 21, 23, 24, 25 and 28.

The court also heard that on November 19 last year at around 3pm, the second complainant was selling sausages in Warren Park and was approached by Denga, who misrepresented that he wanted to buy all her sausages.

Denga then used the same modus operandi of asking his victim to accompany him, this time to a nearby construction site, where he claimed to have left his money.

The State said when Denga and the victim were at a bushy area near Nkwisi Gardens in Tynwald South, he grabbed the complainant, pulled out a kitchen knife and ordered her to comply with his orders.

He raped her and took away cash amounting to $37 as well as all her sausages worth $50.

It was heard that on January 22 this year, at around 4pm, Denga met the third complainant, who was selling socks in Kuwadzana Extension and he misrepresented to her that he wanted to buy all of them for a school he claimed he was is operating in Glaudina.

Denga asked the complainant to accompany him to the school for payment.

The court heard that while passing through a maize field, Denga grabbed the complainant by the neck and raped her once before robbing her of her socks worth $115.

Almost a month later, he robbed another complainant who was selling bananas at Caswell Meats in Willowvale.

The court heard that he produced a knife and raped her before robbing her of her bananas and mobile phone worth US$58. Zim Morning Post