Man found guilty of the rape and murder of British lodge owner, Christine Robinson in Limpopo. Photos: Facebook
Man found guilty of the BRUTAL rape and murder of British lodge owner in Limpopo
The man who attacked retired British lodge owner, Christine Robinson at Rra-Ditau lodge in Limpopo was found guilty of rape and murder.
Man found guilty of the rape and murder of British lodge owner, Christine Robinson in Limpopo. Photos: Facebook
A man who attacked a retired British lodge owner at Rra-Ditau lodge in Thabazimbi, Limpopo was found guilty of rape and murder in the Limpopo High Court in Polokwane on Tuesday.
THE MAN WAS ACCUSED OF MURDERING AND RAPING CHRISTINE
Andrea Imbayarwo attacked Christine Robinson at the lodge on 30 July 2014.
Andrea Imbayarwo – a Zimbabwean national found to be in the country illegally for the past six years – is alleged to have murdered Christine Robinson, 59, on 30 July 2014.
Imbayarwo, 32, was an employee at the lodge at the time of the crime under the name of Andrew Ndlovu.
Police found Liverpool-born Robinson in July 2014, semi-naked wrapped in a blood-soaked duvet, with her throat slashed at the 125-acre Rra-Ditau lodge she ran alone following the death of her husband.
Investigators later said that she had drawn out £3,500 to pay staff at the luxury 30 guest lodge 150 miles north of Johannesburg on the Botswana border days before the attack.
REPORTS AT THE TIME SAID ROBINSON PUT UP A STRUGGLE FOR LIFE
She had defence wounds to her arms and hands and police at the time said it was clear from the furniture all over the place she had fought back but she was repeatedly stabbed, and her throat was slit.
She was found by worried staff, who broke down her locked door when she did not appear for work the following morning. When police arrived, Imbayarwo was the only member of staff unaccounted for.
He was arrested in Crosby, Johannesburg, in July 2020 after six years on the run.
WORRIED STAFF MEMBERS FOUND HER BODY
Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Judge Marisa Naude-Odendaal found the State’s submission that Imbayarwo had committed the crime and had gone on the run was consistent with the evidence of some of the witnesses.
However, Naude-Odendaal found that it was improbable that Imbayarwo had a “relationship” with Robinson and had consensual sexual intercourse with her the night before her body was discovered.
The judge also found it was highly improbable that Imbayarwo could not find time to return to Thabazimbi to fetch his personal belongings.
According to a report by News24, Judge Naude-Odendaal said Imbayarwo knew he was on the run and that Robinson was dead. She also said there were contradictions in his evidence.
THE CASE WILL CONTINUE ON THURSDAY
Imbayarwo was discharged on a count of robbery with troubling circumstances after his lawyer, Desmond Nonyane, brought an application in terms of Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Act.
He was also discharged on charges of housebreaking and the contravention of the Immigration Act.
The case continues on Thursday for pre-sentencing procedures.
