A man charged with statutory rape of an 11-year-old child was remanded in custody on 4 June, pending sentencing by the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court.
Wisdom Mahlaule, who claimed the sex was consensual as he and the girl were lovers, is on trial for the offence committed in Alex on 4 October 2017. He disappeared after the incident and was arrested and brought back from a hideout in Limpopo province in October last year. The case was closed during the time of his hideout.
He enticed the victim, who was a neighbour’s child, into his shack in the morning when the mother was away at work. This was seemingly after previous similar incidents confessed to by the child, who said she was sexually abused under duress and threats.
Her uncle, who lived nearby, sent his son to go check when he heard the victim’s two-year-old brother crying in their home. The boy found the baby alone.
Later, the uncle saw her (victim) leave the accused’s shack for her place. When he inquired, she told him that the ‘uncle’, referring to the accused, had beaten her. After pressuring her, the girl revealed that the accused, who by then had gone to work, had raped her and afterwards threatened to beat her if she reported it to anyone.
On his return from work, the accused fled from the area when he saw the uncle, who gave chase, but in vain.
Results of tests performed on the victim and presented in court proved genital bruises associated with forced penetration.
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