TWO RAPE SUSPECTS APPEAR IN COURT FOR ALLEGEDLY RAPING THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS
Nelspruit: 19 September 2022 – Two rape suspects are expected to appear in court after allegedly raping their own family members. One of the rape cases is said to have occurred at Bushbuckridge whereby a 27-year-old man is alleged to have raped his niece aged 14 and the girl is currently pregnant. Meanwhile, a similar rape case of rape is said to have occurred at Mhluzi whereby a 63-year-old man is alleged to have raped his 18-year-old granddaughter.
The two separate rape cases were assigned to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) to investigate.
According to the information on the case at Bushbuckridge, the grandmother of the victim (14) alleges that on Friday, 16 September 2022 she received a call from the school where her grand-daughter attends, informing her that the girl was rushed to the clinic as she was not feeling well. The victim was later referred to the hospital where she was examined by the Doctor who confirmed her pregnancy.
It was then learned that the girl was allegedly raped on several counts between June and August 2022 by her own uncle who resides with them. It is said that the uncle would sneak into her bedroom and rape her and then threaten her not to tell anyone about the ordeal.
The matter was reported to the police and a rape case was opened. The suspect (27) was traced and arrested on Saturday, 17 September 2022. He is expected to appear at the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on charges of rape.
Meanwhile another girl from Mhluzi, aged 18 also went through a similar experience as she too was allegedly raped by her 63-year-old grandfather on several occasions between September 2015 and September 2022. It is alleged that the suspect would threaten the victim not to tell anyone including her mother of the atrocities she was going through.
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Eventually, the young girl finally broke her silence and the matter was reported to the police, the suspect was arrested as well as charged accordingly. He too is expected to appear at the Middleburg Magistrate’s Court on charges of rape.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has strongly condemned the atrocities that the two young girls had to endure and painfully so because these were allegedly caused by their own flesh and blood. The General also commended members of the police for arresting the perpetrators soon after the cases were registered.
Police urge anyone with any information on Crime to call the Crime Stop number at 08600 10111. Alternatively, members of the public can send information via MYSAPSAPP. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
