Chitungwiza man rapes ex-girlfriend after threatening to perform rituals with used condom from previous sexual intercourse

The Chitungwiza Magistrates’ Court has convicted a 25 year old man for
rape and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment.

Sometime in February 2025, the offender contacted his ex-girlfriend (23),
claiming to have used a condom from their past sexual encounter for a
ritual that would harm her future. He insisted the ritual could only be
undone by throwing the condom into a dam, threatening that she, her
parents and her new boyfriend would die if she didn’t comply. Fearing for
their lives, she agreed.

On the 19th of March 2025, he took her to a dam, threw a bottle
containing a condom, a snake, a feather and their names into the water
and they left. Two days later, the offender returned, claiming they had
made a mistake and that she was supposed to throw the bottle. He gave
her a choice: have sex with him or with a lizard. She chose the lizard.
next day, he called and pressured her, saying his sangoma insisted she
must have sex with him. Out of fear, she went to his place and had sexual
intercourse with him.

On the 14th of April, the offender took the victim to a bushy area and had
sexual intercourse with her again without her consent. He offered her
money but she refused and he threatened to dump the money at her
family’s home. On the 31st of May, he contacted her once more, claiming
his sangoma said they had been seen burning the items and had to restart
the rituals to save his life. He demanded more sexual encounters. The
victim confided in a friend who took her to a pastor on the 4th of June
2025.

The pastor advised her to report the incidents to the police. She filed
a report.