Pretoria – A 52-year-old Limpopo man has appeared in court in connection with the rape of a 3-year-old child, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Thursday.
NPA Limpopo regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said the accused allegedly gave the child R2 after raping her.
“The accused, Sipho Mokwena (52) of Kgautswane in Limpopo, appeared in Praktiseer Magistrate’s Court yesterday for raping a 3-year-old girl. It is alleged that on 18 December 2021, the child was playing in the street with other kids when Mokwena lured her to his house and raped her,” said Malabi Dzhangi.
“After the ordeal, Mokwena then released the child and gave her R2 to buy some snacks. A neighbour saw the child coming out of Mokwena's house and asked the child why she was not walking well.”
The neighbour later alerted the mother of the child and the minor was taken to the clinic the following day.
“Later, it was confirmed that she was raped by Mokwena who was arrested by police,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
The court case has been postponed to December 30 for further investigations and for a formal bail application.
In another incident, earlier this month, a 34-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his 12-year-old niece in Limpopo.
Malabi-Dzhangi said on March 2, 2019, the girl was watching television with her siblings at their home when the uncle called them to his homestead.
“The accused sent other children to a nearby shop and remained with the victim. He called her into a shack and undressed her, placed her on the bed before raping her. When the other children came back, he told them that the victim had gone home.
“One of the children entered the shack and saw the victim, and the accused instructed her to get under the bed and hide. The other children managed to see the victim. He then gave them R20 to go and buy snacks and instructed them not to tell anyone. The children reported to their neighbour who informed the victim’s mother.”
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