MASVINGO — MDC-T chairperson for Ward 3 in Masvingo North, Estere Gono, alleges she was raped five times by an unknown assailant suspected to be a Zanu PF supporter, who said he was punishing her for her close links to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party.
Report by Tatenda Chitagu
Gono claims the suspect pounced on her on Saturday night and told her she was being punished for mobilising support for Tsvangirai in the area.
She reported the matter to the police at Masvingo Rural Police Station, RRB number 1408165, but Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Peter Zhanero professed ignorance of the case.
“I have not yet received such a report, but I will have to look into it,” Zhanero said.
Gono claims the incident took place at around 5pm, as she headed to her home after disembarking from a bus at govere business Centre, located about 50km along the Harare-Masvingo Highway.
“I boarded a Harare-bound vehicle in Masvingo and I alighted at govere business centre,” she narrated her ordeal. “A strange man, is tall and light in complexion, emerged from nowhere.”
Gono said the man then asked for directions to Govere Primary School, before suddenly grabbing her.
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“He suddenly grabbed me by the neck and punched me on the face, saying he wanted to kill me for being an MDC member,” she said.
“He accused me of being a sellout and he said the MDC will never rule the country and that he will kill me for supporting a party that is a puppet for regime change.”
She said she tried to flee, but was tripped and raped.
“When I tried to run, he tripped me and raped me once. He then ordered me to remove my clothes and raped me again,” she said. “He demanded to see my cellphone and he raped me again, saying they knew all my work for the party.
“He slapped me demanding to see my cellphone before raping me again.”
She said she was chocked during the two-hour ordeal and could not cry for help as she was being raped. MDC-T provincial chairman Wilstaff Sitemere confirmed receiving the report, saying they were waiting for police investigations.
“It is true that as a party, we received such information,” he said.
“We are leaving everything with the police and we hope they will complete their investigations soon.”
