Friends jailed for gang rape, robbery
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Tuesday June 22, 2021 10:52
The two were each convicted of robbery and rape at their own plea. They were given ten years for each offence. Tidimalo and Maphosa jointly committed the two offences on the 8th of April this year, in Tati Siding.
Principal Magistrate, Game Mooketsi ruled that the eight years in count two (robbery offence) would run concurrently with the 10 years the two men got for pleading guilty to rape (count one). This means that the two men will now go to prison for 12-years.
Details availed in Court indicate that Maphosa had offered the married boyfriend (37) and his 37-year-old girlfriend accommodation at his house in (Newstance ward in Tati Siding) on the day of the incident.
Furthermore, after offering the married boyfriend accommodation, Maphosa went on to sleep at Tidimalo’s place. The girlfriend to the married boyfriend had arrived from Motlhabaneng village.
Late at night, when the victims were sleeping, Tidimalo as well as Maphosa arrived and forcefully opened the door of the house they were sleeping in (victims). They then robbed the two victims before raping the 37-year-old woman.
In addition, Court details stated that Tidimalo was armed with a machete (panga) and a knife. The duo reportedly threatened the married man and his girlfriend, then took away their cell phones (black energizer hardcore cell phone worth P1, 900 and Samsung Duo worth P2, 800). They also took away P700.00 cash from the victims. The two men then took turns raping the woman.
On both occasions the boyfriend was ordered not move and threatened with a machete that was placed on his neck. The victims then went to the police. Tidimalo and Maphosa were subsequently arrested a day after the incident. A machete and two cell phones were recovered from Tidimalo’s place.
Delivering sentenc, Mooketsi said that the Court took into consideration the character of the accused persons, interest of the society and the seriousness of the crime committed.
Mooketsi stated that the two accused persons were first offenders, and the Court took into consideration their age. She added that both accused persons admitted that they were influenced by their youthfulness to have committed the crime. She explained that the Court took into consideration that all stolen goods were recovered from the accused persons.
However, Mooketsi pointed out that the accused persons grossly violated the rights of the victims and caused them so much emotional trauma.
Mooketsi also expressed worry about the surge of robbery and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) related cases in the country. He highlighted that the Francistown Magistrate's Court alone has registered a lot of robbery and GBV cases. To curb the trend, she said it is important for the courts to pass appropriate sentences that would deter would be offenders from committing such crimes.
She further noted that Maphosa took advantage of having to accommodate the rape victim as well as her boyfriend and later attacked them with his friend.
Mooketsi concluded her sentence by indicating that sentence will be backdated to the April 22, 2021, the date in which the two men were first incarcerated.