Nat Molomo
MASERU — The Maseru Magistrate’s Court heard last week how two men dragged a teenage girl to a graveyard before taking turns to rape her on the night of August 29 last year.
The victim told the court that one of the accused, Fusi Rafenku, sexually assaulted her while his colleague, Liteboho Mohale, watched.
The girl said she heard Mohale telling Rafenku to “finish up quickly as he also wanted to have his turn”.
The incident happened at Morija, Letlapeng.
A witness, who is employed as a herdboy by the girl’s grandfather, told the court that he was walking with the girl from the local shop when the accused hit him with a stick before dragging the girl towards a nearby graveyard.
“On our way from the shop the accused approached us and struck me with a stick on the hand and I ran away while they took the girl with them,” he said.
“I then saw from a distance Rafenku on top of her and Mohale standing by.”
The witness said he proceeded home and alerted the girl’s grandfather.
“He told me to go and look for the girl.
“And while I was on my way to the scene I saw Mohale coming with the complainant and he pleaded with the girl not to disclose what had happened,” he said.
He added that the girl told him that both men had raped her.
The two were later arrested by the Morija police.
The case was postponed to July 1.
In a separate case a 39-year-old man was on Thursday ordered to undergo an HIV test after he allegedly sexually abused an 11-year-old girl.
Kali Makhetha appeared before Maseru magistrate Tšeliso Bale to answer a charge of violating the Sexual Offences Act No 3 of 2003.
Makhetha was not asked to plead when he appeared before the court on Thursday after he told the court that he wanted to first give instructions to his lawyer.
He is being accused of unlawfully and intentionally having sex with the minor at Mohalalitoe in Maseru on June 12, 2010.
To protect her dignity the alleged victim’s name cannot be published.
Makhetha was remanded in custody until June 30 when the crown is expected to set a trial date.