Rape accused acquitted
Outside the courtroom the accused couldn’t hold back tears of joy as he was seen hugging his parents who came to listen to his case.
MBOMBELA- A 35-year-old man alleged to be the suspect in a rape of an eight-year-old minor went home a free man as the court acquitted him from all charges due to lack of evidence.
Mr Patrick Magagula (35) of Mshadza was kept in custody since his arrest in connection with the rape on October 13, 2012. Outside the courtroom Magagula couldn’t hold back tears of joy as he was seen hugging his parents who came to listen to his case held in the Nelspruit Regional Court on December 4.
He was heard whispering to them that he was arrested for a crime he never did. When Mpumalanga News journalist tried to get more information from the state prosecutor, Ms Annaliza Du Plessis, she said she was disappointed by the victim and her father for failing the case when giving their testimonies in court.
A source close to the victim’s family who, however, cannot be revealed to protect the identity of the girl, alleged that the victim was raped twice and never reported to her mother who only found out when the victim complained of pains in her private parts. “She then took her to the clinic where tests were done and proved that she was penetrated twice,” said the source.
