A Limpopo family remains adamant that their neighbour raped two children and bathed them afterwards to cover up his crime. But police say there was no proof of penetration in a case that dates back to December 2016.
The neighbour was ultimately cleared when a DNA test came back negative. But a relative blamed this on the time lapse between the alleged abuse and the medical examination.
Police spokesperson, Motlafela Mojapelo, says the case is closed. “The kids went to Botlokwa on the 16th. I went there on the 27th and they only told me what happened on the 28th. When they were undergoing the process, they told the police that he bathed them after the act. The boy even showed police the basin that used to wash them in.”
“We didn’t have any evidence that pointed that the children were raped. There was no evidence that linked the neighbour to this crime. That is why then we also decide to take some DNA samples, but they also came back negative. Then the statement from the neighbour and one of the children, you know, they were so young. They could(not) even explain exactly what happened. We then took the docket for decision and the prosecutor decided not to prosecute,” Mojapelo explains.
Sibusiso Kabini gets two life terms
In another rape story in Mpumalanga, a man has been sentenced to two life terms and 20 years in prison for the rape of three women.
26-year-old Sibusiso Kabini lured women he found at a local shopping centre before robbing and raping them. His youngest victim was 18.
Police Spokesperson Leonard Hlathi says Kabini was linked to the crimes through DNA evidence.
“The court heard that in 2018 Kabini raped women between 18 and 25. One was pregnant; the other one he raped her in front of her five–year–old girl. The last one was coming from a tavern. The KwaMhlanga Court meted a double life sentence and 10 years and another 10 years for rape of the third woman.”
