Woman lured to the bush, raped after WhatsApp job promise as a maid
By Auther Chimbgwa
A 20-year-old woman was led to a bush on the outskirts of Harare and raped by a man who had lured her to the ordeal through a WhatsApp promise of a job as a house maid.
The incident, according to police spokesperson for Harare province Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, happened in Hatcliffe on the northern peripheries of Harare.
The woman reportedly responded to a WhatsApp group advert in which a house maid was being sought.
“The complainant responded and started communicating with a female person who purported to be the one who needed a maid and the complainant was promised a monthly salary of US$140,” Chakanza said.
“On the 28th day of June 2025, the complainant and the alleged employer promised to meet at 4th bus terminus in the CBD. The complainant proceeded to the 4th bus terminus to meet the employer.
“Whilst at the terminus the complainant was approached by the accused person who pretended to have been sent by the employer to come and pick her.
“The complainant inquired from the accused person how he managed to locate her but there was no satisfactory answer. The two agreed and boarded a ZUPCO bus and went along Domboshava road up until they came to Hatcliffe area where there was a boom gate.”
Chakanza said the two got down the bus and headed towards the eastern direction until they ended up at Arda Nijo Farm Hatcliffe where “they avoided the boom gate and entered the farm via an unauthorised entry”.
Whilst in the farm at a secluded place, police said, her strange companion suddenly asked for sex.
“Sensing danger, the complainant complied but asked to do it somewhere else not in the bush.
“The accused person became furious and asked the complainant to switch off her cell phones which she did.
“Thereafter the accused person forced the complainant to remove her clothes and asked her to comply with anything otherwise she could risk being killed with a gun which he alleged to have been in possession but the complainant did not see it.
“Thereafter, the accused person had unprotected sexual intercourse with the complainant once without her consent.
“After the ordeal, the accused person ordered the complainant to quickly leave the place before he could harm her.”
The victim ran to some homes nearby where she narrated her misfortune to one Maxwell Mandere who helped her report the matter to the police at Borrowdale Police Station.
She was medically examined at Parirenyatwa Hospital and a rape kit was used.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident which follows another attack on a Chitungwiza woman who was also gang raped after being lured to her rape ordeal on the promise of a job through Whatsapp.
The incident also happened around the same area in Harare on 22 June, 2025.
