Zim serial rapist jailed for 72 years, begs for death sentence instead

LOL... begging to die instead? A Zimbabwe court on Thursday sentenced a 31-year-old serial rapist, to 72 years in prison but the accused prefer to die.

Charles Magombedze from Chikova Village in Masvingo Province who was initially sentenced to 78 years in prison by the regional magistrate was sentenced to 72 years with six years suspended conditionally.

During his initial appearance in court on Tuesday, Magombedze said he was a member of a satanic cult which was bent on spilling blood and having unprotected sex and sire children with the same inclination.

I acknowledge that what I did is wrong, but in our cult you have to carry out the order of the leaders otherwise you will be killed and your family will be killed too. What we do is to sacrifice these people that we rape by spilling their blood. He said in court.

Magombedze pleaded guilty to eight counts of rape and pleaded with the courts to hand him a death sentence.

Zimbabwe’s constitution may only permit the death penalty to be imposed on a person convicted of murder committed in aggravating circumstances.

The court magistrate said Magombedze deserved severe punishment because he had behaved like a beast by committing the offences.

Words cannot explain how cruel and callous you are. If you as a human being cannot have mercy on your fellow human beings, then you don’t deserve to live among the people. You are someone that can be classified as an animal, you are a beast said the magistrate.

Armed with dangerous weapons such as iron bars, axes and machetes, Magombedze molested more than 10 victims, including a 14-year-old girl and a police constabulary’s wife.

He also faces attempted murder charges after he allegedly stabbed a woman five times in an attempt to rape her and other charges related to unlawful entry and theft.