A 27-year-old man from Mbembesi, Matabeleland North Province, has been arrested for rape after allegedly refusing to pay a sex worker US$5 for her services, reported NewsDay.
The accused, Gracious Lamula, pleaded not guilty to the charges during his appearance before Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Dambudzo Malunga on Thursday.
Lamula allegedly raped a 47-year-old woman after refusing to pay for her services. He was remanded in custody until this Monday.
In his defence, Lamula claimed that he had initially agreed to hire the sex worker for US$5 but was being framed for rape after he delayed in providing an additional payment of US$5. He said:
The complaint and I agreed to have sex together and I was going to pay her US$5. After our encounter, she asked for another US$5 which I promised to give her the next day and now she is accusing me of raping her.
The court heard that on May 8, 2024, the two had been drinking beer together at Fingo Business Centre in Mbembesi.
After sharing a few drinks, they allegedly agreed to go to Lamula’s residence for the night. However, it is claimed that along the way, Lamula raped the woman.
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