Couple rapped for rape

LIKELELI MAJARA

MASERU – A 73-year-old, ’Mamokhantšo Raphoto, and her partner, Lechesa Popane, a Mosotho male aged 43 of Ha Mabekenyane, appeared before the Maseru Magistrate Court on Tuesday last week to answer a rape charge. The duo is accused of contravening Section 9 (1) and (2) read with Section 32 of Sexual Offences Act of 2003 in that between December 2019 and January 2022 at Naleli in Maseru the accused committed an unlawful sexual act on Raphoto’s 13-year-old grandchild.

Raphoto was allegedly in a relationship with Popane, and this is where she agreed to allow her partner to engage in sexual activities with the grandchild. According to reports Popane inserted his penis persistently on several occasions but Raphotho failed to report the sexual act, thus contravening the provisions of the aforesaid Act.

The charge was read and explained to the accused persons in the language they both understood and they agreed that the understood what was said. They were made aware of their rights to bail, legal representation of their choice and to legal aid.

They made use of their right to bail but their bail application was denied even though the Crown, represented by Advocate Letseka Lerotholi, had no objection to the bail application. The accused remain in custody and the case has been remanded to August 31 as investigations continue and the fact that the accused did not have legal representation. The case was before Magistrate Puseletso McPherson.