Mother accused of hiding sexually abused child
Sharon Mathala | Monday October 9, 2023 16:11
The court was shocked this morning to learn that the mother to the young girl is allegedly hiding her to avoid trial and that the young girl has not been to school for close to a month.
Giving a brief this morning, the State believes that in relocating, the mother is frustrating the court process and hence is obstructing justice.
The State further applied to the court to involve the social workers' office so that law enforcement can track down the mother so as to locate the child and take her to a safe space atl east until trial is over.
In the matter, A 43-year-old Zimbabwean man, (names withheld to protect the child) is charged with a single count of rape. Facts of the matter are that the man sexually abused the nine-year-old, who is the child to his girlfriend at their home sometime in April this year.
“The accused person on April 2023 at Gaborone West Phase 1, in the Gaborone administrative district of the Republic of Botswana had unlawful carnal knowledge of Thato (not her real names) without her consent,” reads his charge sheet.
This morning trial was scheduled to start but was delayed because the mother to the hild, who is also the accused'sgirlfriend has, as according to the State, been awol with the child.
“Unfortunately, we are not in any position to proceed with the matter without the complainant and it is so disappointing that the mother is nowhere to be found. She is hiding the daughter and I don’t know if her intention is to protect the accused. We will have to set another date for commencement of trial,” the magistrate noted.
In the end, a warrant of arrest against the mother has been issued for the Gaborone West Police to arrest her upon site. The trial has been set for 23 November,2023.