A Chitungwiza teenager was raped by armed robbers who stormed her family home in the dormitory town’s Manyame Park suburb last weekend, making off with $17 000 in cash and other valuables.

Five suspects have appeared before Harare magistrate Milton Serima charged with robbery and rape.

They are Claudius Mapolisa (40), Lovemore Chisango (48), Tirivamwe Shoko (39), Tendai Maravanyika (52), and Ignatius Huchu (48).

The suspects were ordered to apply for bail at the High Court.

Four other suspects linked to the offence are still at large.

According to court papers, the incident occurred on August 5 this year around 2 am when the gang went to the family home armed with rifles among other weapons.

It is alleged that when they arrived at the place, the family was asleep in their bedrooms.

The couple, Sinikiwe Ncube and Arman Sulemani, was in its bedroom while the children were in a spare bedroom.

The criminals confronted Ncube and Sulemani and demanded cash while threatening to shoot them.

One of them suddenly attacked Sulemani with a hammer before they tied him with an electric cable.

It is alleged one of the suspects then undressed Ncube before shoved his hands into her privates, threatening to rape her at the same time.

The gang then ransacked the house and stole money amounting to $10 000 in bond notes and 50 000 in South African rands.

It is further alleged they also stole cell phones, driver’s licences of the couple as well as a Tanzanian passport belonging to Sulemani.

Two members of the gang remained guarding the couple while others proceeded to the other bedroom where the couple’s three children, aged 16, 19 and 20, were sleeping.

One of the suspects dragged the 19-year-old teenager to the kitchen where he raped her once without using protection.

They then stole the children’s cell phones before they demanded more money.

One of the complainants lied that she had money in the family car which was parked at the car park.

The suspects then force marched the family out of their house intending to go to the car park.

However, when they got out of the house, the family raised alarm prompting the robbers to run away.

The total value stolen according to prosecutors is $17 626 and nothing was recovered.