By Farai Matiashe
Police have arrested a 36-year-old man in the Southerton industrial area of Harare in connection with a spate of rape and robbery cases which occurred between November 2018 and April 2019 targeting women vendors.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest.
“On 17th April 2019 the man was arrested by alert police officers after they overhead him talking to a 27-year-old woman at the tobacco sales floor and tried to take her away on the pretext of being a buyer. The officers became suspicious and swiftly arrested the accused who is expected to appear in court soon, facing six counts of rape and robbery,” he said.
“The accused person was operating in Warren Park, Rugare, Dzivaresekwa and Kambuzuma areas. The accused person targeted vendors and lured them to secluded places on the pretext that he was going to buy all their wares in bulk. After isolating his victims from others, he would then rape and rob them.”
