09 Nov 2015

A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment for raping his biological sister.

The accused who hails from Lerulakala lands in the Kweneng District was sentenced by Molepolole Principal Magistrate Mr William Modise. It is said that on the night of May  4 2012 Zaro Xhoogabe raped Tshekokenama Segompo who is said to be his sister. 

The victim was attacked by the accused on her way back home from a Shebeen where they went for entertainment, this is according to state prosecutor Sub-inspector Potso Kealeboga of Takatokwane Police.

Sub-inspector Kealeboga said that after the incident was reported to the police, their effort to arrest the accused was fruitless as he was nowhere to be found. 

He said that it was on the April 19 2014 that they managed to arrest Xhoogabe. It was then that some blood samples were taken and tests conducted at the laboratory for DNA. Thereafter the accused was warned, cautioned and charged with rape.

Magistrate Modise said that medical experts have confirmed that the complaint’s body was bruised and bleeding by the time she was taken to the clinic. 

He indicated that the report produced by the doctor who examined the victim clearly showed that the accused had sexual intercourse with the complainant.

When sentencing the accused Magistrate Modise said that he took into consideration the accused’s mitigation and the fact that he is a first offender. 

Magistrate Modise said that according to his own observation the reason why men in this country continue to commit rape is because they see women as tools they can use to satisfy their sexual desire. 

He continued to say there is a perception by men that when a woman says no she actually means yes, saying “this perception is totally wrong.”

Magistrate Modise has appealed to men to stop treating women as their sexual objects. He also emphasised that women just like men have the right to walk freely in this country without fear of being assaulted and raped.

On the other hand he advised women to stop walking at night without company. He said that it is very unfortunate that in this case the accused raped his own sister, adding that the accused is very fortunate that he was not taken for HIV test. 

Magistrate Modise showed that he expected Xhoogabe to protect his sister, therefor he is sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment in order to send a message to other men in this country. Ends