Teacher’s kidnapping and rape case postponed

The case against two suspects arrested for the kidnapping and rape of a 28-year-old teacher has been postponed to 3 December at the Phalala Magistrate’s Court in Lephalale in Limpopo.

31-year-old Lesiba Molokomme and his 17-year-old co-accused, also face charges of housebreaking, robbery and theft of a motor vehicle. The teenager will only be named after he turns 18 this Friday.

The victim was asleep when she was attacked at Viana village outside Lephalale in the early hours of Friday morning.

Police say the suspects loaded her into the boot of her car before driving away. She was found dumped in the bushes at Bakenburg outside Mokopane. Her vehicle was recovered at Marken, also near Lephalale.

One of the suspects was allegedly found in possession of the key to the woman’s car. It emerged during the court appearance that a cell phone, bank card and cash belonging to the victim were also stolen.

Police spokesperson Moatshe Ngoepe says the suspects, both former learners of the woman, have been linked to the crime.

“I can confirm that we have got a watertight against both the two suspects. You will remember that during the arrest we recovered some of the items belonging to the victim in their possession and the other point is with regard to circumstantial evidence. We are okay, so far so good and both the two suspects were confirmed to be the former learners who were taught by the victim.”

The woman’s relatives have declined to speak to the media. Some of the community members who attended court believe that the suspects should be denied bail.

“This is a serious crime and I don’t believe they will be granted bail. What they did to that woman is scary. As men, we are supposed to protect women, not inflict pain on them like these suspects… I think they planned this all along, it was not a random crime.”

The case has been postponed to allow the state to obtain the suspects’ profiles. They have been remanded in custody.