by Gideon Madzikatidze
GOKWE NORTH – A brave 25-year-old man, Tobias Cheuchi, lost his life defending a 16-year-old girl from a brutal rape attempt in Village Cheuchi, Gokwe North, on December 18, 2025.
In a statement, Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Midlands provincial spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said Cheuchi intervened when two men, including Ernest of Simuchembo 1, attacked the girl, but was stabbed multiple times and died en route to the clinic.
“On the fateful day, two men, one only known as Ernest of Simuchembo 1 and an unknown accomplice met a 16-year old girl (name withheld) of the same village and demanded to be intimate with her.
The girl screamed for help and Tobias Cheuchi (25) heard the distress call from gardens and went to investigate. He found the two suspects holding the victim and they released her after his intervention,” Mahoko said in a statement.
“This did not go down well with the suspects who charged towards Cheuchi, armed with okapi knives and stabbed him several times on the chest and stomach before running away. Cheuchi was discovered by his brother who rushed him to Nenyunga clinic using an ox-drawn cart, and sadly he died along the way,” Mahoko added.
The suspects, armed with okapi knives, remain at large, and police urge anyone with information to come forward. Midlands provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, confirms the murder case and praises Cheuchi’s heroism.
This tragic incident highlights the urgent need for community vigilance and support for victims of violence.