Court says NO to Gokwe man’s RUNYOKA story, slaps him with 16 years in prison as loving lula lula too much goes wrong

GOKWE – In the heart of the Midlands province, where traditional beliefs often intertwine with the harsh realities of modern law, a bizarre and chilling case has concluded with a 16-year prison sentence for a local polygamist. Barbington Musekiwa, an unemployed father of two from the DDF Compound in Gokwe South, discovered that while he might have believed in the power of “spiritual locking,” the Zimbabwean justice system only deals in the hard currency of forensic evidence and victim testimony.

The case, which has gripped the local community, centred on an ancient and controversial practice known as runyoka, or the “central locking system.” In Zimbabwean folklore, runyoka is a form of traditional “fencing” used to ensure marital fidelity. Usually, it is a husband who “locks” his wife to prevent her from straying, often resulting in the adulterous couple becoming physically stuck together—a condition known as runyoka rweruware—or the illicit lover suffering from a permanent, painful erection. However, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice, Musekiwa turned this cultural narrative on its head, claiming his first wife had “locked” his manhood to prevent him from performing with any other woman.

The magistrate, however, was not moved by tales of juju or erectile dysfunction. Stanford Mambanje, the Gokwe resident magistrate, presided over a trial that stripped away the supernatural excuses to reveal a predatory and violent crime against a vulnerable 17-year-old schoolgirl.

The Predator in the Red Jersey

The nightmare for the young victim began on the afternoon of 13 March 2026. She was a dedicated student, walking home from her mathematics and science lessons, perhaps preoccupied with the formulas and equations she had just studied. To stave off hunger, she was quietly munching on some biscuits as she traversed the familiar paths of Gokwe South.

It was then that she encountered Musekiwa. He was sitting on a concrete slab, a seemingly ordinary figure in a distinctive red jersey. But as the court would later hear, he was already hunting. His first interaction with the girl was deceptively mundane, yet it carried the undertone of a predator testing his prey.

“The ‘hungry’ Musekiwa first asked the girl for her biscuits. When she said no, he let her pass — but he was already planning his move.”

The girl, unaware of the danger, continued her journey. Musekiwa, however, followed her stealthily. Like a predator stalking through the Zimbabwean bush, he waited for the right moment to pounce. When he finally confronted her again, his demands escalated from biscuits to money. He first demanded a dollar, a common enough occurrence in a region where unemployment is high and every cent counts. But the demand for money was merely a prelude to a far more sinister intent.

When the girl refused his financial demand, Musekiwa told the terrified teenager that he wanted to fondle her breasts. The brave girl, despite her fear, refused once more. It was at this point that the “beast” turned violent.

A Brutal Assault and a Failed Escape

The details of the assault presented in court were harrowing. Musekiwa did not merely coerce the girl; he used overwhelming physical force to silence and subdue her. He grabbed her and strangled her neck with both hands, a calculated move to stop her from screaming and alerting any nearby villagers. He then dragged her into a thicket of bushes, away from the path and the eyes of the public.

Inside the bush, he forced her to lower her clothes and mounted her. It was this act that Musekiwa would later try to deny through his claims of spiritual impotence. He argued in court that his “machinery” was non-functional due to his wife’s “central locking system,” implying that he was physically incapable of the crime he was accused of.

However, the prosecution, led by Malvern Nzombe, presented a medical affidavit that told a different story. The forensic examination of the victim provided irrefutable proof that the rape had indeed occurred. The “limp” card, as it was described in court, was nothing more than a desperate lie.

After the assault, the heartless Musekiwa reportedly told the girl to “rush home.” He likely expected her to be too ashamed or too frightened to speak out. But he underestimated the courage of his victim.

The girl did not simply go home to cry. She immediately narrated her ordeal to a villager, providing a perfect and detailed description of her attacker’s clothing—specifically the red jersey that would eventually lead to his downfall.

Justice and the Myth of Runyoka

Luck ran out for Musekiwa later that same day. While the girl was explaining the horror of the attack to her mother, she happened to look into the distance and saw a familiar figure walking casually. It was the monster in the red jersey.

The girl pointed him out, and the community response was swift and decisive. Members of the public swarmed the rapist, grabbing him before he could disappear again. They handed him over to the police, ensuring he would face the consequences of his actions.

Even in custody, Musekiwa’s cowardice was on full display. While being escorted to Gokwe South Hospital for a mandatory HIV test—a standard procedure in Zimbabwean rape cases to determine the potential long-term harm to the victim—he saw an opportunity to flee. He bolted into the bush like a rabbit, forcing the police to launch a manhunt. He was eventually hunted down and brought back to face the music.

In court, the defense of runyoka was thoroughly debunked. While the concept of “central locking” remains a potent part of the cultural imagination in Zimbabwe, it has no standing as a legal defense against physical evidence. Similar cases in the past, such as the 2011 incident in Chitungwiza where a man suffered a permanent erection after an illicit affair, have often been used to bolster the myth of runyoka. However, in the context of sexual assault, the courts have consistently ruled that traditional beliefs cannot be used to justify or excuse violence.

Magistrate Mambanje found Musekiwa guilty not only of the rape but also of escaping from lawful custody. The 16-year sentence serves as a stark reminder that the law in Zimbabwe is increasingly intolerant of gender-based violence, especially when it involves minors.

The Investigative Context: A Pattern of Belief and Abuse

This case is not an isolated incident of “juju” being used as a courtroom shield. Across Zimbabwe, and particularly in rural hubs like Gokwe, traditional healers and “prophets” often peddle “central locking” charms to jealous spouses. In 2017, a self-proclaimed prophet in Chitungwiza, Madzibaba Steven Mugariri, famously claimed his “central locking system” was a tool for social good, helping to combat HIV and infidelity.

Yet, as the Musekiwa case demonstrates, these beliefs can be weaponised by perpetrators of violence. By claiming he was “locked,” Musekiwa was essentially trying to gaslight the court and the victim, suggesting that his physical biology was under the control of a third party—his first wife. It was an attempt to shift the blame from his own predatory choices to a supernatural “malfunction.”

The sentencing of Barbington Musekiwa is a victory for the young girl who refused to be silenced. It is also a clear message to those who think they can hide behind cultural myths to mask their evil deeds. In the end, Musekiwa enjoyed his “lula lula” one more time, but the price he paid was 16 years of his life behind the cold bars of a prison cell.

The community of Gokwe South can breathe a little easier knowing that a predator has been removed from their midst. But the case remains a sobering example of the lengths to which some will go to evade justice, and the vital importance of a legal system that values scientific evidence over superstitious excuses.