05 Feb 2015

Principal Magistrate Goabaone Rammapudi of Bobonong recently denied bail to a 39-year-old man of Molalatau who is accused of two counts of rape and incest.

The man reportedly raped his two daughters aged 10 and 13 years at Mathathane in the Bobirwa area between March 2014 and January 11 this year.

Magistrate Rammapudi said matters that involved children were sensitive and courts were required to treat them as such.

The magistrate said the court acknowledged that the accused was innocent until proven otherwise, but where minors were involved, the state had to ensure that the victims were safe prior to release of the accused. The accused will appear again on February 16.

Earlier when arguing against a bail for the accused, the prosecutor, Sergeant Tebogo Kehupetse of Baines Drift police said the prosecution was still in discussion with the social worker to ensure that the two victims were relocated to a safe area and the process might take long. Therefore, he appealed to the court to further remand the accused in custody.

Sergeant Kehupetse said the social worker in Mathathane was still on leave and upon resumption of duty, the victims would be moved to a safe place. He said the investigations into the matter were almost complete but they were still waiting for DNA results from the police forensic lab.

The accused had pleaded with the court to grant him bail saying he would abide by the bail conditions. He said arrangements would be made so that he could relocate his livestock and property to his home village of Molalatu.

Alternatively he said, he had relatives in Bobonong where he could also stay without interfering with the victims stating that continual incarceration was a ploy by prosecution for him to lose some of his property, which was currently not being taken care of.

He accused the prosecution of making ploys to ensure that the court denied him bail and described himself as a good person who was loved by many. "At times mistakes happen but not to the magnitude suggested by the prosecution", he said.

He told the court that he had to seek the services of an attorney and his continual stay in custody would deter him to seek one and also alluded that his employers wanted clarification from him, and further accused the prosecution for writing affidavits that depicted him as a bad person. ENDS