Pascalinah Kabi
Eight Mafeteng men aged between 16 and 28 allegedly abducted a 37-year-old woman on New Year’s day and took turns to rape her.
The eight have since been arrested and remanded in custody by the Mafeteng Magistrate’s Court, according to police spokesman, Senior Inspector Clifford Molefe.
“It is suspected that on or around January 1 at 4am, the eight suspects arrived at one of the public bars in the district and abducted a 37-year-old woman,” Senior Inspector Molefe said.
“They led her to nearby dongas where they took turns raping her. The suspects were later arrested and briefly appeared before a magistrate who remanded them in custody.”
He further said the eight are set to reappear in court on 22 January.
In another rape incident, a 23-year-old Quthing man is out on bail after allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl from the same village on 1 January 2016.
Sen Insp Molefe said Hlalefang Nkhotla, aged 23, was granted M600 bail after a brief appearance before a Quthing magistrate on the rape charges.
“It is reported that a 14-year-old girl was playing with other children on 1 January when the suspect – Hlalefang Nkhotla – pulled her into a donga and allegedly raped her,” Sen Insp Molefe said.
“The girl reported the rape to her grandmother and the suspect was later arrested. He was granted M600 bail and will reappear in court on 21 January,” he said
Snr Molefe said it was worrying and unfortunate that men continued to see children as potential partners “capable of quenching their thirst for sex” despite efforts being made to sensitise people about the need to protect children.
He called on the public to join different stakeholders in eradicating rape within communities as the problem was on the increase.
