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The trial of 31-year-old Obamang Tlholego of Botshabelo ward, charged for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl in 2021 has been postponed to the 17th and 18th of April 2023 following a request by the prosecution for another trial date.
Appearing before Maun Chief Magistrate Thebeetsile Mulalu on Tuesday, Paul Basupi informed court that the prosecution had just been served with the social welfare report from the social workers, which had to be availed to the accused to read through.
“During confirmation of trial dates, the social welfare office assured us that they will give us the report before trial so that we can also give it to the accused person, however that did not happen I therefore pray for another trial date to give the accused person time to read the report,” Basupi said.
Tholego is alleged to have on that fateful day at around 3 am in Moeti Ward stormed into the victim’s house calling for her older sister. It is alleged that when he got no response, he rushed into the bedroom and found the minor sleeping with her siblings.
The accused person is said to have then proceeded to force the victim from her bed, took her to the nearest bush where he raped her before tying her to a tree with a scarf and fled.
As fate would have it, when the young girl and her family were at the police station to report the matter, the accused then burst into the station seeking police help from a mob that was pursuing him alleging that he had stolen some money. The young girl immediately recognized the accused and he was immediately arrested.
The suspect also stands accused of giving false information to a public officer, following claims he made to the officer on duty at the time of his arrest when he identified himself as his older brother.
In his previous mention Maun Magistrate Gaone Bagopi rejected Tlholego’s demand to change trial dates to a further date as he told court that he was never served with statements since his arrest in 2021. He posited that they were only issued in November 2022.
“Trail dates should be changed to a further date because I was given the statements in November and December, a period I regard as festive holidays,” Tlholego said.
