A panel beater from Masvingo has been sentenced to 40 years in prison by regional magistrate Mr Bishard Chineka for a heinous crime committed against female students from Great Zimbabwe University. Tinashe Chirume (40), a resident of Pangolin suburb, was found guilty of robbery and rɑpe after trial that presented compelling evidence.
The incident occurred when Chirume, armed with a machete and completely nɑked, forcibly entered a residence in the Target Kopje suburb where three female students were sleeping. He proceeded to rob the first victim of US$10 before taking an additional US$5 from the second victim. Afterward, he demanded that the first victim lie on her bed and rɑped her without using any protection.
Evidence presented by regional prosecutor Mr Liberty Hove confirmed that Chirume attempted to rɑpe the second student as well. However, she managed to escape by jumping out of the room through a window, screaming for help. This forced the assailant to flee from the scene.
Chirume’s luck ran out when his victims’ friends identified him and promptly alerted the police. Subsequently, he was apprehended at Pangolin Light Industries in the city.
