Kwekwe gardener (23) who cut off his manhood with a knife and ate it appears in court for rape

Kwekwe – A 23-year-old Kwekwe man, Panankosi Phiri, is facing rape charges following a series of disturbing events that culminated in his self-mutilation. The case took Zimbabwe by surprise when the Kwekwe-based gardener reportedly cut off his own manhood with a knife before eating it with bread as sandwich.

Phiri appeared before a Gweru magistrate this week, charged with the rape of a 10-year-old girl who is a granddaughter to his employer.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) detailed the alleged incident, stating that earlier this month, around 3 PM, Phiri allegedly forced the juvenile into an unfinished building and raped her, threatening to kill her if she resisted.

“He then removed her clothes before allegedly raping her. The accused person only stopped when he heard a voice calling the complainant’s name,” the NPAZ reported.

The situation took a dramatically disturbing turn on September 14th, at approximately 8PM. Phiri allegedly inflicted severe self-harm, cutting off his own ‘anaconda’ or ‘kadora’ with a knife while screaming that the 10-year-old rape victim was his wife.

This act of self-mutilation brought the initial alleged rape to light, as the victim subsequently confided in her grandmother. The NPAZ applied for and received court approval for Phiri to undergo a mental health examination under the Mental Health Act. He is currently receiving medical treatment at a Gweru hospital and is scheduled to reappear in court on October 8th, 2024.

A police memo dated September 18th, 2024, details the events leading up to Phiri’s self-mutilation at his employer’s residence in Msasa suburb. Around 8 PM on September 14th, Phiri exhibited erratic behaviour, slashing his wrists with a knife and causing significant bleeding. The employer attempted to intervene, but Phiri’s violent outburst prevented her from helping.

The police memo paints a grim picture: “He went on to completely cut off his (manhood) and wrapped it with bread then went on to eat it,” the memo states. During this self-mutilation, Phiri repeatedly called out the young girl’s name, referring to her as his wife.

The employer immediately contacted the police. Officers arrived, transporting Phiri to Kwekwe General Hospital. Even while receiving medical attention, Phiri continued to call out the young girl name, raising serious concerns.

Four days later, Constable Dlodlo from the Victim Friendly Unit interviewed Phiri’s employer and the minor. The young girl then revealed that Phiri had previously raped her. She was subsequently taken to Kwekwe General Hospital for a medical examination. Phiri’s critical condition necessitated his transfer to Gweru Provincial Hospital for further treatment.