Bulawayo Man (21) Sentenced to 40 Years for Raping 81-Year-Old Neighbour
A 21-year-old Bulawayo man, Gift Ncube, has been sentenced to 40 years for the double rape of his 81-year-old neighbour. The NPAZ condemned the violent assault and praised the community for the citizen's arrest that led to the conviction.
Delicious Mathuthu 
Bulawayo - The Bulawayo Regional Magistrates' Court has sentenced 21-year-old Gift Ncube to an effective 40 years in prison following a brutal assault on an 81-year-old granny.
He was given 20 years for each of the two counts of rape, ordered to run consecutively.
The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) confirmed that the incident occurred in the Hope Fountain area during the early hours of February 15, 2026.
Court records reveal that Ncube gained unlawful entry into his elderly neighbour's residence at approximately 3 a.m. after breaking a window.
Once inside, he violently subdued the victim by strangling her and threatening her life before committing the first assault in her sitting room.
The prosecution detailed a second assault in the victim's bedroom. Following the attacks, the offender fell asleep in the victim's bed.
The victim managed to escape the premises and alerted members of the community.
Neighbors performed a citizen's arrest after discovering Ncube naked and still asleep in the residence.
In a statement following the conviction, the NPAZ condemned the predator's actions, characterizing the breach of a senior citizen’s sanctuary as a "violation of the highest order".
The authority also urged communities to heighten protections for the elderly against such "traumatic" violence.
