R20 000 to drop child rape case

R20 000 to drop child rape case

Vukosi Ngobeni

A man Mpho Malapani from Magraskop village RDP section in Bushbuckridge is accused of raping seven and eight year old girls. It is alleged that the suspect waited by the dam after school where learners cross to get to school.
The older girl was escorting her friend home when they came across the suspect who instructed them to spread open their books on the ground and lie on top of them. He then raped them and threatened to shoot them should they tell anyone.  

The girls started acting unusual at home and school. In the morning the seven year old cried when her mother bathed her. The mother noticed that her child had bruises and appeared to have been penetrated. She confided in the eight year old’s mother who also had noticed the same thing. At school the teachers noticed that the children were unusually withdrawn. They called the parents and the children told them what had happened to them.

When the community got wind of the story, it was decided that they would find the rapist and deal with him, as this was not the first time young children were raped in that area.      

    
The suspect reportedly went into hiding. His mother, a local business woman Monadzi Malapani then approached the victim’s family, pleading that the rape “thing” be forgotten for R20 000. Dismayed, the family refused and told her to get hold of her son.
Malapane called her to come and explain himself to the people, but the suspect would only show up if police were around as his protection, as he feared for his life.
Police were called and the suspect showed up.

The local CPF then instructed everyone present to take off their hats. The eight year old pointed at the suspect as the rapist. The younger girl was scared she just said that he was among them. The man was given clothes to change into and again the older girl pointed at him. The younger girl said that he was among them wearing a hat. The man was the only one wearing hat.
Police arrested the suspect and charged him with rape, investigations are ongoing.