Police arrest suspected serial rapist in Macheke

Police in Macheke have arrested a 34 – year – old man from Anzona Farm suspected of raping three women within two days.

It is alleged that the suspect assaulted the victims using a switch before raping them.

National police spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, confirmed the arrest but diclined to name the suspect.

“Yes, I can confirm that police have arrested a suspect in connection with rape cases that occurred in Macheke,” he said.

According to police, on January 13 at around 12 pm, the suspect met the first complainant and her colleague while they were walking along a footpath from Nhohwe Primary School.

He allegedly confronted them, accusing them of invading his privacy while he was urinating by the roadside.

The suspect reportedly assaulted both women with a switch before raping the complainant in front of her friend.

After the incident, the suspect instructed the two women to go home. The complainant later called her sister to report the rape, and the matter was reported at ZRP Macheke.

On January 14, 2026, at around 7:30 am, the suspect allegedly raped a second complainant who was on her way to Waterloo shopping centre.

Reports indicate that the suspect stood in the middle of the footpath pretending to urinate. When the complainant attempted to run away, he stopped her, accused her of seeing him naked, assaulted her with a switch again, removed her clothes, and raped her.

On the following day at around 9 am, the suspect allegedly attacked the third complainant while she was walking along a footpath leading to the Waterloo shopping centre with a child on her back.

The suspect reportedly ordered her to remove the child from her back and when she refused, he assaulted her with a switch, causing the child to fall.

He then allegedly raped the complainant.

Police in Macheke attended the scenes, leading to the arrest of the suspect.

All complainants were referred to Nhowe Mission Hospital for medical examination. — Herald