NELSPRUIT – The trial of a man who is accused of raping a seven year old girl, came to an end on Tuesday. Sibusiso Calvin Mashile (20) appeared in the Nelspruit sexual offences court on a charge of rape.
Magistrate Mr Roelf Smith postponed the matter for judgment until February 3.
Prosecutor Ms Elise du Plessis said Mashilile was living in the same house in Masoyi with the victim. She said the incident had taken place two years before the victim actually told her grandmother about the rape as the accused had threatened to harm her and even to deny her food.
She said the rape had actually occurred during 2010 but was only reported to police in 2012.
Du Plessis said the grandmother had stated that she could remember seeing a rash on the child’s private parts and had thought at that time that it was just the heat.
“Only when the grandmother was going to enforce the child to sleep in her own room as she was afraid to sleep alone, did the child then break down and tell the grandmother what had happened to her.”
The defence claimed that there was doubt in the State’s case and benefit of a doubt should be given to the accused.
