Tshotsholo – A wave of shock and outrage has left Tshotsholo villagers dumbfounded after a 29-year-old lula lula starved man, Meluleki Ngwenya, was arrested for allegedly repeatedly raping a 92-year-old granny.
The horrific incident, which reportedly took place over a six-hour period from 10pm on 5 August to 4am the following day, has left the victim traumatised and exhausted.
The details of the attack are harrowing. The elderly woman was sleeping in her bedroom hut when Ngwenya allegedly gained entry through an unlocked door.
He then threatened to assault the granny if she refused to let him join her in the blankets. Once in the blankets, Ngwenya undressed the victim and himself, before forcibly engaging in sexual intercourse with her multiple times.
The victim, whose name is being withheld for legal reasons, was reportedly left exhausted and pleaded with her attacker to stop. Despite her pleas, the alleged assault continued until Ngwenya finally left the scene at around 4am, leaving behind his underwear.
The shaken and traumatised gogo picked herself up and reported the incident to her sister, who then accompanied her to the police station to file a formal complaint. The police investigation led to the arrest of Ngwenya.
Ngwenya, who initially appeared before Tsholotsho magistrate Lesigo Ngwenya, was not asked to plead to the rape charge and was remanded in custody. He is set to appear at the Bulawayo Regional Court on 23 August 2024.
The news of the attack has sparked widespread anger and calls for harsher penalties against the perpetrator. Villagers, expressing their disgust and outrage, have demanded that the authorities take swift action to ensure that Ngwenya faces the full extent of the law.
“This despicable act of violence against a vulnerable member of our community must be met with the full force of our commitment to justice,” fumed a villager, who preferred anonymity for fear of victimisation, in a telephone interview with B-Metro.
“The rape of an elderly woman is not only a crime against an individual but also a deeply disturbing assault on our society’s values and sense of safety.”
The incident has highlighted the vulnerability of the elderly and the need for increased awareness and action to address the issue of sexual violence against women.
