MASERU – A 38-year-old man from Ha-Malelu in Rothe allegedly told his 17-year-old daughter that they should be “lovers as women were giving him problems”, the magistrate’s court heard on Tuesday.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, allegedly raped the daughter over a period of three months. The teenager was staying with his father and a 13-year-old sister as their mother is late.
‘Mamonaheng Lesofe, a counsellor in the victim-friendly office at the magistrate’s court, told the court that she visited the victim when the matter was brought to her attention on September 28.
Lesofe said the daughter had confided in her that the accused had told her that they should be lovers as women were giving him problems.
“They (daughter and father) had a sexual relationship, they seemed like lovers. But the daughter said they were no longer doing it as some villagers now knew about it,” Lesofe told the court.
She said the daughter had since been admitted at a children’s home in Mazenod and was receiving counselling.
The accused’s lawyer Advocate Lebohang Molapo earlier on told the magistrate’s court that his client should be granted bail as it was his constitutional right.
Molapo said the court should instead impose stringent conditions to ensure that his client did not interfere with the principal witness.
He said his client works at a company that makes tombstones and earns M1 000 a month.
“I therefore ask the court to give him bail not exceeding M500 as he does not earn much,” Molapo asked the court.
Public prosecutor Qinimutsi Tshabalala however opposed the granting of bail saying the accused was facing a serious charge.
“(The accused) is facing a serious case whereby he had sexual intercourse with his daughter,” Tshabalala said.
Tshabalala said the accused cannot be trusted to live with the child as he had abused her physically, mentally and emotionally.
He said the accused had created a pathetic situation for the daughter and was an unrepentant abuser.
He said if ever the court were to give him bail, chances were high that he was going to rape his daughter again.
Maseru magistrate ‘Makopano Taole rejected the lawyer’s appeal for bail.
“After listening to the reasons from your lawyer asking for bail on your behalf and the prosecution giving reasons why you should not get bail, the court refuses to grant you bail,” Taole said.
The case was postponed to November 6.
