A 32-year-old Maun man has been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment on each of two counts of rape after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting his half-sister on separate occasions in 2018.
The young man was sentenced by Maun Magistrate Gofaone Mosweu this week following his conviction on two counts of rape attended by violence. The offences occurred in Boseja Ward, Maun.
According to court documents, the first incident took place on or about October 14, 2018. The accused choked the complainant before having sexual intercourse with her without her consent. As a result of the assault, the complainant sustained a bruised neck.
The second offence occurred on or about December 1, 2018. Court records state that he once again raped the complainant after physically assaulting her by punching her in the face and choking her. The complainant suffered a swollen face, a bruised neck and some around her eyes.
Before passing sentence, Magistrate Mosweu sought to establish whether there were any extenuating circumstances that could explain the accused’s conduct. Addressing him, the magistrate questioned whether he appreciated that engaging in a sexual relationship with his sister was morally wrong and whether their parents had ever intervened to teach them that such a relationship was unacceptable.
However in his response, the convict maintained that he and the complainant had been in a consensual relationship. He told the court that the relationship started in 2007 when he was 18 years old. He further stated that the complainant had grown up in a different area and that they only shared the same mother, suggesting that this was the reason they became involved in a relationship.
He noted that they however stopped being in a relationship when they found out about their relation as brother and sister and that is when the complainant accused him of raping her.
Despite his explanation, the court was not persuaded by the accused’s version of events. The court found that the evidence presented during the trial proved beyond reasonable doubt that the complainant did not consent to the sexual acts and that the offences were committed through violence.
In imposing sentence, Magistrate Mosweu noted the serious nature of the offences before sentencing him to 15 years’ imprisonment on each of the two counts of rape.
The case highlights the gravity with which the courts continue to treat sexual offences involving violence, particularly where the victim is a family member. The sentence brings to a close a case arising from incidents that occurred nearly seven years ago.
