A seemingly sex-starved 24-year-old man from Bulawayo was arrested for allegedly assaulting a 49-year-old woman as punishment for refusing to let her 16-year-old daughter have sex with him.

This came to light when Mcebisi Ndebele appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Challenge Mahembe facing assault charges.

He pleaded not guilty to the offence and the matter was remanded to 26 November for continuation of trial.

The court heard that on 14 September 2024, when the complainant's daughter (whose name is being withheld to protect her (daughter)) was passing by Ndebele's barbershop, he approached her and told her that he wanted to marry her at any cost.

Ndebele is also alleged to have told the complainant's daughter that he wanted to have sexual intercourse with her.

It is reported that the complainant's daughter rejected Ndebele's advances, including his marriage proposal and sexual requests.

She then reported the matter to her mother, and together they confronted Ndebele at the barbershop.

It was further heard that when Ndebele was confronted, he hit the complainant with fists several times.

When the complainant's daughter tried to intervene, she was slapped by Ndebele's colleague, who told her she was becoming a problem.

The complainant's daughter then ran away, leaving her mother to be assaulted by Ndebele and his colleague, who had also picked up a stone to attack her.

When the complainant's daughter ran away, she notified neighbors who swiftly came to the scene.

The complainant was found lying unconscious and was ferried by an ambulance to the hospital.

Ndebele fled from the scene and went into hiding.

He was later arrested on 18 October 2024, at around 6 pm after a police manhunt.