A PIRATE taxi driver from Bulawayo has appeared in court for allegedly raping a 15-year-old passenger in his car. Nkosilathi Mtukwa (21), through Ms Kudzai Magama of Legal Aid Directory, pleaded not guilty to rape when he appeared before Bulawayo Regional magistrate Mr Crispen Mberewere.
He was remanded out of custody to today for continuation of trial.
Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said: “On July 23 at around 5PM, the complainant boarded Mtukwa’s taxi from the city centre to Hillside.”
He said Mtukwa dropped the other passengers and was left with the complainant whom he had promised to drop last.
Mr Manyiwa said Mtukwa parked his car at a corner house near Whitestone road.
He allegedly told the complainant that he wanted to check on something outside the car and approached the complainant’s door.
The complainant told the court: “He forcefully pressed me down, lay on top of me, pulled my stockings off then inserted his fingers into my privates and later raped me once”.
The court heard how she tried to defend herself by biting Mtukwa who overpowered her.
Mtukwa later drove off and dropped the complainant at her bus stop. On their way, he gave her $1 to keep the incident a secret.
In defence, Ms Magama refuted the claim saying Mtukwa gave the complainant money because she had asked for it.
“The complainant was my girlfriend, we agreed on everything. I gave her the money because she had asked for it,” said Mrs Magama on behalf of Mtukwa.
The court heard that the complainant told her mother that she had been raped and instructed her brother to look for the accused person using the description of the car.
The brother found Mtukwa and reported the matter to the police, leading to his arrest.
Taximan always seem to be getting associated with rape.