16 Feb 2014

 A 42-year-old man who was charged with raping his daughter in February 3 last year recently changed his plea from guilty to not guilty.

Obakeng Molapo of Sojwe told Molepolole Magistrate Court recently that he decided to change his plea when the case was called for reading of facts. When he was asked to confirm the facts of the case, Molapo disputed that he had sexual intercourse with the complainant and that he used a knife to threaten her into agreeing to do what he ordered her to do.

The facts of the case presented before the court were that on February 3, 2013, the accused and the complainant were returning from a church service and they sat together in the sitting room to have lunch.

The facts also indicated that when night came, the complainant asked the accused to fix her bedroom light, whereupon the accused refused and claimed to be tired. He ordered the complainant to sleep in the sitting room, saying he would fix the light the following day.

During the night, the complainant claimed there was something moving about in the sitting room where she was sleeping and he asked her to join him in his bedroom which she did.

When they were sleeping the accused asked the complainant to undress, saying it was improper for a person to sleep with their clothes on.

The facts further stated that the complainant started crying and refused to undress, saying she was not comfortable with the whole scenario. She told the accused to stop and threatened to report to her grandmother.

The statement further said the accused then got a knife from the kitchen and told the complainant that he would kill himself in front of her if she did not follow his instructions. The complainant then obeyed his orders and the accused raped her.

Molapo said he did not rape the complainant or use a knife to threaten her. The state is represented Sub Inspector Boss Sebojane and heard by Molepolole Principal Magistrate Bhekimpilo Sibanda. Ends