*Sentenced to 15 years for rape
*Baby is now aged five
In an extremely disturbing case, a young man will spend the next 15 years of his life behind bars for impregnating his 11-year-old orphan sister.
The suspect, who is now aged 29 but cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, was found guilty of raping his biological sibling on two separate occasions back in 2020.
The child was doing Standard 4 at the time and ended up falling pregnant, eventually giving birth to a baby girl. She never returned to school and is said to have started acting-up after the traumatic ordeal.
Appearing before Molepolole Magistrates Court for sentencing on Thursday, it was heard the Malwelwe native started sexually abusing his younger sister in June 2020.
The incest began shortly after their aunt, who was the guardian, moved to Gaborone with their ailing grandmother so the old woman could receive medical treatment.
The girl was left at home with her two brothers.
On the first occasion, it is said the little girl was playing in the yard when the accused called her to come inside the house, where he undressed and raped her, Afterwards, he reportedly ordered her not to tell anyone what happened, threatening to beat her if she spilled the beans.
The second incident is believed to have taken place at night when, after putting the younger brother to bed, he seemingly raped his sister while she was sleeping on the floor.
Around September, after her return from the capital, the aunt noticed some changes in the girl's body.
On the advice of a worried neighbour, she took her niece to the clinic where the nurse confirmed the girl was pregnant.
The matter was reported to the police and the suspect arrested not long after.
When passing sentence, the appalled Chief Magistrate, Gaseitsewe Tonoki, described the incident as inhumane.
The accused person is the victim’s brother, born of the same mother.
The victim, when the offence was committed, this horror, inhuman act, was only 11-year-old. She was just at the gates of puberty and had not yet glimpsed adolescence. The accused brutally denied her chance of childhood. He denied her the laughter of innocence.
“He thrusts the responsibility of adulthood over an unsuspecting little baby, impregnating her at the age of 11 years”, raged Magistrate Tonoki, adding it was the court’s responsibility to hand out a stern punishment.
“I, without hesitation, find it proper, appropriate and justifiable to sentence the accused person to 15 years imprisonment”, he ruled,
advising the accused of his right to appeal within 21 days.
