Danisa Masuku
A church caretaker allegedly kidnapped a 15-year-old girl for 48 days during which he drugged and sexually assaulted her.
Mkhululi Ndlovu (42) appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga facing two counts of rape and kidnapping.
He pleaded not guilty to both counts and was remanded in custody to March 28.
Allegations against Ndlovu are that on 08 November 2022 he met the teenage girl near her home in Nkulumane suburb and reportedly placed a knife on her throat while forcing her to sniff a white powder suspected to be a drug, crystal meth, popularly known as guka or mutoriro.
The court heard that the frightened girl sniffed the powder and after that she fell unconscious.
It is reported that the teen girl was shocked when she woke up the following morning in Ndlovu’s house naked and there was that white powder on the bed.
The victim told court that Ndlovu forced her to sniff the powder and after that she would feel drowsy and gradually fall unconscious.
The court heard the girl would wake up stark naked with signs she had engaged in sex.
She would also wake up to see used condoms on the floor and each time he went out of the room he would lock her inside the house, the court heard.
The alleged victim escaped when Ndlovu asked her to accompany him to a house in Old Lobengula suburb to buy drugs.
When Ndlovu was busy buying the drugs the girl reportedly bolted out of the house and went to a police station and reported the incident.
Ndlovu was later arrested at the church premises.
Constance Mathaba prosecuted.
