A Maun man accused of raping his sister on two separate occasions has been denied bail by the Maun Magistrates’ Court.
The accused, faces multiple charges of rape stemming from incidents that took place in Boseja ward, Maun, between October and December 2018.
According to court records, the first incident is said to have occurred on October 1, 2018, at around 3am. The complainant was reportedly asleep at her boyfriend’s house with her children when she woke up to find the accused strangling her. She testified that her accused brother threatened to kill her if she screamed, before undressing and raping her without protection.
Her son, who is said to have witnessed the attack, ran to seek help from neighbors and a man rushed to the scene and rescued the complainant by assaulting the accused, who fled under the cover of darkness. Later, the complainant reported the matter to police.
A medical doctor who examined her observed a bruised neck, painful vaginal examination, and a perineal laceration, concluding that the findings were consistent with forced penetration. Swabs were collected for forensic testing.
The second incident allegedly took place on December 1, 2018. Court papers reveal that the complainant was seated outside her home with her son and a friend, when the accused suddenly appeared, choked her, and dragged her into nearby bushes. He allegedly raped her three times, threatening to stab her with a knife if she resisted.
The complainant eventually managed to escape, only arriving home the following morning at around 6am. She immediately reported the matter to her boyfriend, who advised her to go to the police. A subsequent medical examination revealed a swollen face, tender neck, bruises around her eyes, and a bruised cervix. Her clothing was noted to be soiled with dirt and food stains, while swabs collected were later sent to the forensic laboratory for analysis alongside the accused’s blood samples.
Appearing in court recently, the accused pleaded for bail, telling presiding Magistrate Gofaone Mosweu that he had “learnt his lesson” and would not repeat such actions if released. The prosecution strongly opposed the plea, arguing that the seriousness of the charges, coupled with the risk of reoffending and the need to protect the complainant, outweighed any personal assurances from the accused.
Magistrate Mosweu ruled that the accused be remanded in custody, adding that he is not a bail candidate regardless of his change of persona. She also said that that the High Court has not qualified him as a bail candidate. Magistrate Mosweu set the next court appearance for December 1, 2025.
