FRANCISTOWN: A 38-year-old man appeared in court yesterday (Monday) to face a single count of allegedly raping a 78-year-old woman.
The state alleges that Diketso Dipelaelo raped the septuagenarian during a date unknown to the prosecution in 2019 in Tonota.
When Dipelaelo’s trial commenced, the complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court that she was sleeping in her house at night when she saw a silhouette passing by the window.
She then said that she called out to ask who the person passing by the window was.
A few minutes later, the person she suspects to be the accused told her to open the door.
“I did not open the door but after a moment, the accused broke down the door and gained entry into the house. He then dragged me out of the house and started to punch me. He was also kicking me. He then dragged me further to the kraal and raped me for the whole night until the morning without using a condom,” the complainant said.
During cross-examination, accused Dipelaelo asked the complainant if indeed he dragged her out of the house and assaulted her, why then is that information missing from the statement she gave the police following the alleged incident.
In response, the complainant told the court that she told the police that she was assaulted adding that the information is contained in her police statement.
After a short time, the court told Dipelaelo that contrary to what he was saying, the police report that the complainant gave to the police shows that she had relayed she was assaulted with the use of fists and was kicked.
Dipelaelo then said that he had no further questions for the complainant.
Dipelaelo also failed to cross-examine the forensic scientist, Yenishaa Malidza who had told Magistrate Game Mooketsi that a DNA profile matching his (Dipelaelo) was found in the complainant’s private parts.
The case continues on Thursday.
Keneilwe Jeremia of the Directorate of Public Prosecution represents the state in the matter.
