A 26-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping a Form Two pupil and raping her several times.

The complainant who was only rescued after six days, went on a hunger strike for two days in an attempt to stop the accused from abusing her but he allegedly continued to rape her.

The man’s wife and the complainant’s mother teamed up with the police to rescue the 15-year-old girl who had been subjected to repeated sexual abuse.

This was heard when Simbarashe Dube of Mberengwa appeared before Gweru regional magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing kidnap and rape charges.

Dube has pleaded not guilty.

It is the State’s case that on April 30, Dube allegedly met the complainant at Sibange River when she was coming from Mwembe Business Centre where she had gone to buy her school uniform.

Dube allegedly ordered the complainant to accompany him where he was going.

The court heard that he allegedly produced a knife and threatened to kill her if she did not comply.

He allegedly grabbed her right hand and pulled her off the road.

The court heard that Dube then force-marched the complainant to Anna Chikwekwete’s homestead in Newline Village, Chief Maziofa.

It was not stated in court how Chikwekwete is related to Dube.

After arriving at the homestead, the court heard that Dube allegedly locked the complainant in a room before he went away.

The accused allegedly asked Chikwekwete to heat water for the complainant to bath.

After bathing, Dube allegedly told the complainant that he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her but she refused pleading to be taken home.

Dube allegedly showed a knife and threatened to cut her throat if she screamed or refused to have sexual intercourse with him.

Dube, the court heard, went on to spread some blankets on the floor before raping her once.

The same night, Dube allegedly raped her two more times.

The following day, Dube allegedly took the complainant’s uniform and went away locking her inside the room.

At around 9AM, the court heard that Dube came back and gave the complainant a yellow floral skirt and ordered her to put it on.

Dube then force-marched the complainant to his sister’s house before they came back at around 9PM.

The complainant started crying before Dube again threatened to cut her head off.

He allegedly ordered her into the blankets before raping her three times.

On May 2, the accused forced-marched the girl to his friend’s house in Langelo village where he opened a bedroom door before forcing her inside.

Dube then went away before coming back with a plate of isitshwala but the complainant refused to eat.

The court heard that he went on to rape her three times.

On May 3, Dube, the court heard, took the complainant to another homestead where they spend the day and he again raped her.

This was the second day the complainant had gone without eating.

In the morning as he was in the middle of allegedly raping her, a police officer, the complainant’s mother and Dube’s wife rescued the girl.

Mr Kevin Guveya appeared for the State.