HARARE – Serial rapist Daniel Chauke, 62, has been jailed 133 years following his conviction on seven counts of rape.
The sentence could be longer if he also gets convicted on allegations of killing three women.
Chauke was arrested two weeks ago after being on the run for over two years.
He was convicted after a full marathon trial during which he denied the allegations.
“The State proved that the accused person raped a woman, 69, who was coming from her field on the 3rd of April 2022.
“He approached the complainant and told her that her grandchildren had stolen his property at his house.
“He hit the complainant once on the right cheek causing her to fall.
“He tied her hands and mouth and force-marched her into a bushy area where he committed the offence,” said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in a statement on Tuesday.
Chauke would go on to commit six similar offences involving women aged 60, 46, 23, 71, 36 and 45 years between July 2022 and April this year.
For the first count Chauke was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment.
On the second count, he was slapped with a 15 years jail term.
Chauke was sentenced to 20 years each for counts three to seven and the first four counts will run concurrently with the seventh count.
He will serve 60 effectively.
The convict is also facing three counts of murder.
Appearing for the NPA Edmore Mahlanganise alleged that on the 21st of October 2023, Ruth Sithole was working in her field at Chikwanda Village Chief Mutema area in Chipinge when she was approached by Chauke who asked her if he could do manual work in her fields.
“She turned his request down. The accused person allegedly grabbed her by the neck and dragged her for about 40 metres.
“He allegedly forced her down and raped her once before strangling her to death,” he said.
It is alleged that Chauke took his machete and struck the now deceased’s dog all over the body before taking her lunch box and walking away.
He was found in possession of a spoon belonging to the deceased.
In another count, it is alleged that on April 24, 2024, Honeni Manaka Masimandoyo was walking in Derera Village, Chief Ngorima area in Chimanimani when she met the accused person.
Chauke proposed love to her but she turned him down stating that she was married.
This did not go down well with him as he allegedly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the ground.
“He dragged her to a nearby bush where he strangled her until she was weak and raped her,” prosecutors charged.
After raping her, he took his knife, cut out her private parts, took her panties and wrapping cloth before fleeing the scene.
Chauke was also found in possession of the deceased’s panties.
It is also alleged that on the 26th of May 2024, Siliya Maponese was on her way to Scort Village, Mabheka in Chipinge when she met Chauke along the way, near Budzi river Bangazani area in Chipinge.
“The accused person approached and proposed love to her and he was rejected,” prosecutors claim.
“He allegedly grabbed and dragged her into the nearby bush where he raped and killed her.
“The accused person took her cell phone and walked away. He was found in possession of the said cell phone.”
He now awaits indictment for his murder trials.
