Zimpapers Logo

Crime Reporter
All the five cases reported this month in which “men” claimed to have been raped by women were false and being made by one person to solicit sympathy and donations from the public.This came to light following the arrest of Munashe Mazhingi (20) of Ringa Village, Chief Zimunya, Manicaland in Kariba after he made a false report to the police that he had been “raped” by women. Mazhingi is now being accused of making other false reports that he had been sexually abused and robbed by women on separate occasions.

To make his trickery more effective, the suspect reportedly used fake names when making such reports.

Police investigations have revealed that cases of men being “raped” by women reported in areas like Chiredzi, Ngundu, Chivi, Chegutu, Karoi and Kariba were false and being made by Mazhingi.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday confirmed the arrest of Mazhingi.

“Following intensive investigations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police after several reports of aggravated indecent assault, commonly referred to as ‘rape of men by women’, in early January 2015, it has been established that the five cases reported in Chiredzi, Ngundu, Chivi, Chegutu, Karoi and Kariba are all false.

“Investigations have revealed that in all the cases reported, the purported complainant, Munashe Mazhingi, aged 20 years, of Ringa Village, Chief Zimunya, Manicaland would use false names alleging that he would have been indecently assaulted (raped) as a way of seeking sympathy and donations from well-wishers.”

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said Mazhingi was the same person using names such as Tapiwa Sibanda, Tawadza Nelson Pedzisai, Collen Chumasi and Tanaka Mlambo Dhliwayo when reporting the false sexual assaults.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to warn the public that it is a serious offence to make false reports to the police as resources are wasted whilst investigating these false reports,” she said.

In one of the cases early this month, police launched a manhunt for three women and a man who had reportedly sexually abused and robbed a 22-year-old man in Chivi.

The man, who was reportedly based in South Africa, lost valuables including R4 000, $150, a Nokia Asha 302 cellphone and national identity card at gunpoint.

It was reported that the man boarded an unregistered Nissan X-trail vehicle which had three occupants, one male and two females from Beitbridge to Harare at 7pm.

When they reached Chivi turn-off, they drove along Tokwe-Mhandamabwe Road for about four kilometres before robbing the victim.

The trio tied the victim’s hands with a rope and drove along the same road for a further three kilometres.

A Toyota Gaia which was following the Nissan X-trail emerged from behind and signalled the first vehicle to drive into a narrow dust road.

The male accused person from the X-trail vehicle then injected the complainant with an unknown substance and ordered him to be intimate with the three female accused persons, it was alleged.

It turned out that this was one of the false reports made by Mazhingi.

According to the police, this was the third incident to be “recorded” along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway inside two weeks.