Rapist gets HIV, jailed . . . rapists on the prowl

A BIKITA man who allegedly contracted HIV after raping a mentally-challenged woman was jailed for 15 years by a Masvingo court.

However, Frank Mukwesha (30) of Hungwa Village under Chief Mukanganwi will serve an effective 12 years behind bars after regional magistrate Mrs Dambudzo Malunga conditionally suspended three years.

Mukwesha was convicted of raping an HIV positive mentally-ill patient on his own plea of guilty.

In handing a long-term to Mukwesha, Mrs Malunga told the court that the law was not lenient on offences committed against mentally-challenged people.

Prosecutor Mr Liberty Hove told the court that sometime in February 2015, the mentally-challenged woman left her homestead heading for a grinding mill in the area where Mukwesha worked as a grinding mill operator.

On arrival, Mukwesha pushed his victim inside the mill before closing the door from inside.

He started fondling his victim who reacted by pushing him away. The woman tried to stop Mukwesha from further fondling her by biting him on the hand.

However, Mukwesha did not relent before undressing her. He then proceeded to rape the mentally-challenged woman.

After about a week, Mukwesha’s victim went to seek treatment for a sexually transmitted disease POLICE have launched a manhunt for a gang of suspected rapists who are on the prowl in Chief Charumbira’s area in Masvingo.

Some female pupils have since abandoned school in fear of the gang.

Masvingo police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said her office was inundated with complaints from rape victims.

She said they had deployed details to look for the suspects.

“So far we have arrested one suspect who is assisting detectives with investigations,” said Insp Mazula.

“He will appear in court soon to answer charges of rape and armed robbery.

“The suspected rapists, whom we believe to be a gang, operate around the clock. Some girls have stopped attending school in fear of

at Hozvi Clinic in the area and a report was made to the police after she narrated her ordeal to nurses.

A medical examination was conducted at Silveira Mission Hospital and Mukwesha was arrested.

In his defence, Mukwesha told the court he was in love with the these notorious suspects.”

Insp Mazula declined to disclose the identity of the arrested man, fearing it would jeopardise investigations.

She said the gang was using an assortment of weapons to intimidate their victims.

A villager at Nemamwa Growth Point said one suspect was apprehended by a mob, but escaped.

She said the suspect had waylaid a woman whom he allegedly raped.

“We apprehended one suspect at Nemamwa Growth Point last week, but the man overpowered us and disappeared,” said the villager.

“However, he was struck on the forehead with a catapult and was left with a deep wound. The rapists seem to be many because I also heard that some girls from Chirichoga High School had been rescued from the rapists by male teachers.”

mentally-challenged woman. A nurse at Hozvi Clinic who testified in the case revealed that Mukwesha tested negative for HIV several times before raping the woman.

However, the nurse told the court that tests conducted after he raped the woman revealed that Mukwesha was now HIV positive.