By A Correspondent- A machete-wielding man from Lupane allegedly force-marched his lover and her two children to his homestead at night and raped her in the presence of one of her minor children.

Brighton Ndlovu (27) of Madonjwa Village in Chief Mabhikwa was arrested for rape following the attack which happened on 25 March this year.

Ndlovu had met the complainant, who is 25-years-old, on 18 March and proposed love to her and she agreed.

It is alleged that the two did not meet again until the day of the alleged rape.

Ndlovu appeared for initial remand before Lupane resident magistrate Ndumo Masuku who remanded him in custody to Thursday, this week.

He was advised to apply to the High Court for bail.

Prosecutor Clive Gumbo told the court that Ndlovu, who was drunk, threatened to attack the complainant with a machete if she refused to go with him. Gumbo said:

On the 18th day of March, the accused proposed love to the complainant who accepted.

On the 25th of March at 10 PM, the accused who was drunk proceeded to the complainant’s place of residence.

He was armed with a machete.

The State further alleged that upon his arrival, Ndlovu knocked on the door while calling the complainant to open it for him.

The complainant opened the door and Ndlovu ordered her to wake her two children up and go with him to his homestead.

She complied in fear of being killed as the suspect was reportedly violent and armed.

Ndlovu, the complainant and her children passed by a neighbour’s place where they left one of the children before proceeding.

When they arrived at Ndlovu’s place of residence, he allegedly led the complainant to a kitchen hut where he ordered her to place her child on the floor and remove her clothes.

Ndlovu allegedly raped the woman once before ordering her to go back to her homestead.

She immediately informed her brother about the attack and a report was made to the police leading to Ndlovu’s arrest.-statemedia