MAFIKENG MAIL – ZEERUST: Residents including ANC women supporters from Ikageleng township Extension 1, Wards 15 and 16, yelled deafening slogans outside the local magistrates court on Monday demanding that the court should not grand bail to Karabo Morwalle, accused for allegedly raping a minor on March 17.
The accused appeared in court for the second time since his first appearance on March 18. However, the case was postponed to today (April 11) for formal bail application.
Amid chanting and singing derogatory songs about the accused’s private parts while picketing outside court, Priscilla Kwanaite, the local concerned group organiser read the memorandum expressing the community’s anger and threats to take the law into their hands if the perpetrator was released on bail.
“He should be kept in custody for his own safety. If Karabo gets bail, this would traumatize the victim as they are neighbours. He was supposed to be the child’s protector and not the one who rapes her. His release will manifest danger to the society and the family of the child.
“There is a likelihood that the accused, if released on bail, will attempt to influence or intimidate witnesses or to conceal or destroy evidence. He can even temper with investigations,” Kwanaite read from the memorandum before presenting it to court manager, Thato Tsile, who received it on behalf of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
According to the victim’s uncle, who cannot be named to protect the four-year-old minor, the accused had left with the victim and her mother to the nearby Hendryville village to visit his other niece on the night before Morwalle allegedly raped the child.
The alleged perpetrator returned home with the minor only the following morning around 5:10am and knocked at the uncle’s room and explained that there was a fight at Hendryville hence he returned to protect the child before asking for a cigarette. The accused is known to the victim’s family as he used to visit them and drink beer with the elderly family members.
The uncle said he had no cigarette and offer R2 to the accused. After the accused had left, the uncle was called to the house where he found the child lying on the ground crying pointing at her blood-stained panties.
“We rushed to the police station and were told to take the child to the clinic. We were then referred to Mahikeng Provincial Hospital where the doctor confirmed that the child was severely penetrated in her private parts.
“When we returned home we found the accused in the hands of the community who later handed him to the police. The child is traumatized and our community leaders are helping us prepare to take her for counselling. As a family we are also traumatized and shocked by this callous act by someone we trusted as a friend and neighbour. We demand justice to prevail in this matter,” said a visibly distraught uncle.
