Police in Zimbabwe's second largest city, Bulawayo, are reportedly looking for three women who allegedly harvested the semen of a hitch-hiker they picked up along a main road in Bulawayo.

According to the state-owned Chronicle newspaper, the three suspected sperm collectors were driving a white Toyota Cresta.

Police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the report, saying the suspects were still on the loose.

Simango said the three would be charged with aggravated indecent assault.

Zimbabwe does not recognise the rape of men in its statutes, thus, a male rape suspect is charged with aggravated assault, which according to Section 67 of the Criminal Law Code, provides for a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years, or both.

The sperm harvest "trade" was widespread in the southern African country between 2009 – 2011 , as gangs of beautiful women picked up male travellers to have sex and harvest their sperm in condoms.

Local media reported at the time that victims of the highway prowlers were drugged, subdued at gun or knife point - even with a live snake in one case - given a sexual stimulant and forced into sex before being dumped on the roadside.

In October 2011, police arrested three women, found with a plastic bag of 31 used condoms in the country's fifth largest city of Gweru.

However, due to lack of evidence, the women were subsequently released in March 2012.

News24