A manhunt has been started by police in Chinamhora, Mashonaland East region, for an armed robber who ambushed five worshipers on a mountain and sexually assaulted one of the female worshipers.
The worshippers (names withheld) comprising four females and a male adult all from Chinhoyi were at Mharo Mountain in Domboshava for an all-night vigil.
The victims consisted of three students from the Chinhoyi University of Technology and others.
Mashonaland East province police spokesperson Inspector Simon Chazovachi confirmed the incident. He urged members of the public to desist from conducting prayer vigils in secluded places.
“We have received numerous reports of rape and robberies targeting worshippers in Domboshava. We are urging the public to desist from conducting prayers in secluded places, especially at night to avoid such incidents,” he said, adding that on August 13, 2022 at around midday, the five went to the mountain for prayers.
On the same day, at around 2200 hours the suspect armed with a sword approached the complainants and ordered them to lie down after threatening them with death.
The complainants complied and the suspect then demanded money and other valuables. The victims were robbed of US$32 and $4 500 among other valuables.
The suspect then forced a male and female complainant to remove their clothes and ordered them to have sexual intercourse, but they refused. The suspect later raped one of the female worshippers before covering the complainants with a blanket and disappearing from the scene.
The victims then filed a police report.
