A police officer based at Matapi Police Station in Mbare, Harare, appeared in court on Thursday on allegations of raping and robbing a woman at a cemetery.
Tarisai Sithole (35) was facing charges of robbery and rape when he appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, reported The Herald.
Sithole was remanded out of custody to July 9 for trial date allocation.
Prosecuting, Lancelot Mutsokoti alleged that on 26 April 2024, the complainant disembarked from a commuter omnibus at Simon Mazorodze flyover in Harare. She was approached by Sithole, who was in the company of his accomplice who is still at large.
Sithole and his accomplice allegedly took the victim to Pioneer Cemetery in Mbare, where they forcibly took her bag containing her documents and property before they took turns to rape her.
It is further alleged that the victim went to ZRP Matapi to report the incident. Whilst she was in the charge office, Sithole entered wearing civilian clothes.
The victim identified Sithole, who then took her aside and threatened her not to report the matter. She, however, told police officers who were present that she had been raped by Sithole.
