A 28-year-old man of Modimo ward in Ditshegwane village has been charged for allegedly raping a teenage girl and forcing her to to take a bath.
It was revealed during trial last Tuesday before Magistrate Kaveri Kapeko of Molepolole Magistrates Court that the accused, Tumelo Keberekile, raped his then 16-year-old victim on December 17th, 2017.
The victim who is now 19-years-old said she was sent with her younger sister and cousin to drop off some meat at a family friend’s house when they met Keberekile on the way and he followed them.
On their way her sister said she was thirsty and Keberekile offered to give them some water at his grandmother’s place.
“He told my sister and cousin to get inside the house to drink some water before he tried to persuade me to also get inside the house. I refused and he grabbed my hand before he gave my sister and cousin the keys instructing them to lock themselves in the other room,” explained the victim.
When narrating the chronicle of events that led to the rape incident, the victim said when she refused to get into the house, Keberekile slapped her and forced her to undress at knife point. “I was terrified and I reluctantly undressed. He then took out a condom and put it on his penis and raped me.”
The accused is said to have later poured some water in a bath tub and instructed the victim to immediately take a bath and not to tell anyone about the rape.
“After raping me I got out of the house and he went to unlock for my sister and cousin. As we left the gate, he gave my sister a P10 note and told her that they should not tell anyone about the incident,” said the outspoken victim.
Upon seeing the victim crying while on their way home, the younger sister is said to have questioned her what had happened and she narrated the story to her. Later they reported to their mother who then took the victim to the police to report the incident. The accused allegedly admitted to the offence before the police.
In her testimony, the 12-year-old Standard 7 girl testified before court that she saw Keberekile dragging her sister to the house and gave them keys to lock themselves in the other room.
“After he locked us up in the house we heard some noise, my sister screaming. Later he opened for us and gave me P10. My sister came out of the house crying, she then narrated the story to us,” the younger sister told the court.
When maintaining his innocence, Keberekile claimed that after he met the victim and her companions, he assisted them to carry the meat and asked the victim if they were still in love and she told him she was still okay with the relationship.
“I asked her for sex which we had, with her consent, at my grandmother’s place. At that time it was so harmonious, we were happily in love and there was no violence. Her sister asked for P10 to buy some drink which I gave her before we parted peacefully,” said Keberekile.
The prosecution refuted his evidence noting that what he said in court was a new story and that he failed to dispute the victim’s evidence during cross examination.
Though the state had called three witnesses to testify against him, Keberekile did not have any witness.
Judgement has been scheduled for January 19th, 2021 in Letlhakeng.