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Crime Reporter

A 24-year-old woman was raped by an unknown man in a bushy area close to Cranborne Road in Harare after she had failed to get transport to Masvingo, while a Harare man lost US$10 000 to armed robbers he had offered a lift along High Glen Road.

The woman was raped after her assailant had offered to accommodate her for the night.

He then raped her as they were walking to his “house” along Cranborne Road. A report was made to the police who are still investigating the case.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.

“We are investigating a case in which a female adult aged 24 was raped by an unknown male adult on July 23, 2020, in a bushy area along Cranborne Road, Harare. The unknown accused person offered her a place to sleep since the complainant had failed to get transport to go to Masvingo where she resides,” he said.

He said a manhunt for the assailant has since been launched.

Meanwhile, Asst Comm Nyathi urged motorists to avoid carrying unknown passengers in their vehicles as they would end up being robbed.

“This comes after a Harare man lost US$10 000 and a Samsung Galaxy J2 core cellphone to thieves at Marimba Flats, on July 28, 2020. The victim was driving a Toyota Probox and gave a lift to three men at the intersection of High Glen Road and Heaney Road while proceeding to High Glen Shopping Centre.

“Along the way one of the suspects occupying the back seat grabbed him from behind, stabbed him with a screwdriver and robbed him,” he said.

Police have been urging members of the public to desist from offering people lifts and to also avoid moving around with large amounts of cash.

A Bulawayo man lost US$50 000 cash to unknown thieves who broke into his Toyota Prado after he had parked it in the CBD while conducting other business on Sunday.

Last week, burglars broke into an irrigation company in Bulawayo and made off with US$23 500, R43 200 and $2 500 which was in a safe in one of the offices after disabling the alarm system and the closed-circuit television (CCTV) during the night.