A 59-year-old man and his son accused of raping a Standard 2 girl aged 10, at Kgosing-Boseja ward in Thamaga village were this week arraigned before a Molepolole Magistrates’ Court.
The duo, Thepa Kgangyame, the step-grandfather to the victim and his 25-year-old son Gideon Disele who is the victim’s uncle, between 20th and 23rd August 2020, are alleged to have forcefully had sex with the young girl in separate incidents.
When they appeared before Magistrate Kefilwe Resheng this week, they were not asked to plead as the prosecution anticipated forwarding the matter to DPP for assessment of evidence.
Magistrate Resheng denied them bail and considered State Prosecutor, Sub Inspector Lubonbo Lebala’s view that the matter was still fresh and police investigations were still ongoing.
“The accused were detained and the victim remained home. Our biggest concern is that the accused are staying at the same place with the victim. We request that the two be remanded while still dealing with the safety of the victim, also considering the seriousness of the offense which involves a minor,” said the concerned Lebala who revealed that there are some exhibits to be taken for testing at police forensic laboratory.
It is said that the girls’ mother who works at Ghanzi visited the girl and later realised her daughter had difficulty walking and upon questioning her she told of how the duo had been sexually molesting her in different times and intervals one after the other.
When pleading for bail, Kgangyame said he was arrested while at the wedding ceremony and he left his livestock unattended also that he is the breadwinner caring for his girlfriend (victim’s grandmother) who is not well.
“My daughter (victim’s mother) left this child when she was three months old and I raised her until she started school. She only came when the child was doing Standard 1, I am the one caring for the child,” said Kgangyame claiming to be responsible.
His son, Disele claimed her sister was reporting the case for the third time. “It is not the first time she’s reported this case. She is not even staying at home, when she came she took the child and later after two days when she returned she claimed we raped her daughter. I am also caring for my girlfriend who is in confinement and also not working,” he explained.
Before remanding the accused, Magistrate Resheng ordered the prosecution to thoroughly investigate all what the accused told the court.
The two men will appear for mention on September 14th, 2020.