‘Mantoetse Maama
MASERU — A 23-year-old woman from Mtjanyane, an area in Quthing, was sexually assaulted by an unknown man on Monday. The police said the suspect broke into the victim’s home on Monday at around midnight. According to police spokesperson Thato Ramarikhoane the victim was sleeping together with her housemate when the suspect broke into their home. Earlier in the night, the victim and her roommate had come back from afternoon classes and found their clothes scattered in their house.
They reported the matter to the landlord who told them that the matter would be resolved the next day. “The victim who was not comfortable after the incident told police that in her sleep she saw some light in the house. When she uncovered her face she found an unknown man in their house. The man ordered them to light the candle and hand over their cellphones to him,” Ramarikhoane said.
It was reported that the man took out a condom from his pocket and wore it. He then raped the victim before fleeing.
It is suspected that the rapist is the same man who had been to the woman’s house earlier. In a separate incident, a 17-year-old girl from Thaba-Tsoeu in Ha Paki was sexually assaulted by a man who stays in Ribaneng two weeks ago. According to the police the girl was on her way home from school when she met the suspect.
The suspect asked the girl to accompany him somewhere but the girl refused. He then threatened to beat up the girl and pulled her to his house. He locked her in his house for the whole night and raped her. The next day the girl’s sister went to the suspect’s home looking for her. The suspect refused to let the girl go as he claimed he wanted to marry her.
The sister reported the matter to the police who accompanied her to the suspect’s house. The suspect however managed to escape. Meanwhile, a 16-year-old herdboy from Mohale’s Hoek in Qabane died after he accidentally shot himself three weeks ago. According to the police the boy was staying at a cattle post and owned an illegal firearm.
“The boy had been fumbling with the 0.38 special illegal firearm. The serial number of the gun had been rubbed out. It was reported that the boy accidentally shot himself,” Ramarikhoane said. “He sustained serious injuries and was taken to Queen ‘Mamahato Hospital by the flying doctors where he later died.”