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Victor Maphosa-Mashonaland East Bureau

FIVE people praying at Mount Maru in Domboshava were robbed and one was raped over the weekend by a robber and rapist armed with a machete who threatened the worshippers with death if they resisted his demands.

It is alleged that the worshippers, who included three female students from Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) and one from the University of Zimbabwe, were at Maru Mountain for prayers at around 10pm on Saturday. One of them was making a fire when suddenly the armed man appeared.

He ordered the man making the fire to come closer, and swiftly withdrew a shiny machete from his black jacket. The rest of the worshippers advised him to comply with the armed man.

It is alleged that the armed man ordered all of them to lie on their bellies after threatening them with death and they complied. He robbed them of US$32, $4 500, and cellphones.

Then still holding his shiny sword, ordered a male and female to remove their clothes and be intimate in front of their colleagues. The female refused. The armed man then assaulted and raped another female worshipper aged 21. She screamed for help, but to no avail.

The rapist and robber then covered all of them with a blanket and threatened to kill them if they attempted to run away and disappeared into the darkness.

Moments later, the worshippers then went and reported the matter at Chinamhora police station.

The man is yet to be found.

Police spokesperson for Mashonaland East Province Inspector Simon Chazovachiyi appealed to the public to be security conscious when conducting group activities, particularly during the night. “We are advising members of the public to desist from conducting prayers in secluded areas, especially during the night.”

Cases of rape and armed robbery have been recorded before at Maru Mountain in Domboshava, where people from across the country visit as they believe that the mountain is sacred.