A 63-year-old Harare man, Lengton Matereke, has been charged on three counts of rape or attempted rape, involving minor girls who had visited his home separately.

Appearing before Harare Magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa, Matereke was remanded in custody to March 13 and told only the High Court could grant bail.

The allegations span incidents dating back to 2020, with all complainants being underage girls. It is alleged that Matereke lured the victims into his one-roomed home in Epworth, where the offences are said to have occurred.

In the first incident, the State alleges that the girl, now 16 years old, was raped by Matereke when she was just 12.

The second girl, who is also now 16, alleges that she was sexually assaulted by Matereke on January 21 this year.

The third complainant, aged 14, alleges that she was raped by Matereke in January this year while at his house with her aunt.

In the aftermath, the other two girls also disclosed their experiences of rape by Matereke to this girl's mother. Following these revelations, authorities arrested Matereke, and the matter is now before the courts, with investigations still ongoing.