An unlawful Lesotho national convicted for rape was sentenced to two life terms and 25 years imprisonment by the Sebokeng Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 5 August.
ILLEGAL LESOTHO NATIONAL PREYS ON YOUNG GIRLS
Tshepo Masaleng (27), is being punished for 4 counts of kidnapping and 4 counts of rape of three minor ladies aged 13,14 and 16 years, and a younger girl who on the time was 18 years previous.
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The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana mentioned the Justice of the Peace ordered that his identify be added to the National Register for Sexual Offenders and be declared unfit to own a firearm.
“On 29 April 2016 whereas the 18-year-old woman was strolling from college to go to her aunt in Sebokeng, she met Maseleng. He launched himself with a false identify and proposed love and when the complainant refused, he pointed her with one thing that appeared like a firearm and pressured her into an previous constructing the place he raped her.
After the rape, he accompanied her to the place she was going and instructed her to not inform anybody. On her arrival at her aunt’s place, she instructed her older male cousin what occurred. He then took her to the police station to report the matter,” Lumka defined.
She added that on a separate incident on 15 December 2018, three minor ladies had been on their strategy to church within the night once they met with Masaleng.
“He asked them where they were going and when one of the girls tried to run, he told them he had a weapon they cannot outrun. He instructed them to walk with him until they reached an abandoned building next to Thabong Mall. He told them to strip naked and face the wall, and proceeded to rape them one by one. When he was done, he told them to stop walking alone at night. While running to the church they met a woman whom they told about the incident. The woman called the pastor of the church where the minors were going. At church, the pastor called the police, who took them to the police station and medical examination.”
Lumka
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Masaleng was arrested on 7 December at Thabong mall when one of many minor kids who was along with her mom noticed him and instructed her mom. The mom confronted him and the group members who noticed the confrontation apprehended him and known as the police.
“He has been in custody since his arrest after the state successfully opposed bail. He was linked by DNA evidence to the offences, however, Masaleng pleaded not guilty to the charges against him,” Lumka indicated.
She went on to say the 4 victims had been ready by Court Preparation Officer (CPO) Lizzy Dlamini earlier than they testified in courtroom via the middleman companies. The CPO additionally referred them for counselling.
“In their Victim Impact Statements (VIS) one victim indicated that she still has suicidal thoughts because she cannot get over what happened. Another one indicated that she was proud of her virginity, but it was taken forcefully,”
Lumka
Lumka mentioned in aggravation the Regional Court Prosecutor Vusi Gilbert Mbabane, instructed the courtroom that the weak teams in our society, girls and kids ought to be protected and ought to have freedom of motion whatever the time. He additional requested the courtroom to impose the prescribed minimal sentence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Sibongile Mzinyathi applauded the great work carried out by the prosecutor, the courtroom preparation officer, and the SAPS investigation staff. He additionally thanked the position performed by group members in defending the victims.
