Headman Might Pay For Past 'Defilement'

Goitsemodimo Akanyang | Monday May 13, 2019 12:22

 

The headman might be slapped with a defilement charge if it is proven that he indeed fathered a child with a minor. 

Defilement allegations against the headman emerged when magistrate Cele Lebakeng called a young woman from the court gallery to the witness stand to tell the court how she knew Kediitse Masisi, who is charged with child negligence.

 Upon questioning, the 28-year-old Mabesekwa woman (whose name cannot be disclosed for ethical reasons) told the court that she has three children of which the first one was born in 2006 while she was still a minor.

She said the father of her first child is the headman of arbitration at Mabesekwa.

 “I dropped out of school when I was doing Standard Seven, due to pregnancy. I never went to school again,” she added.

  When magistrate Lebakeng asked her how old her first-born was, the woman could not even recall her child’s age.

The magistrate then gave the prosecutor an order to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Masego Moloi, to instruct the social worker who was handling Masisi’s case to launch another investigation involving the woman who was allegedly defiled by the headman.

“Did your parents report a case of defilement with the police?” asked Lebakeng.

  In response, the young woman told the court that there was no case filed with the police. 

Magistrate Lebakeng then said: “I want you to understand that we do not want to humiliate you. We are here to help you.

You were violated as a child and no one protected you and this has impacted your life negatively”.

“Moloi will engage social workers who are going to assess your life and why your parents never reported to the police after you were defiled amongst others.”

 Lebakeng expressed worry about the high rate of defilement cases at Mabesekwa.