Community takes matters into their own hands
Ga-Masemola
Machasedorp residents in Ga-Masemola took matters into their own hands by beating up a man accused of rape.
Accused man sustained serious injuries and died in Jane Furse hospital.
This comes after the late Shimankana “Njiks” Matsemela was accused of raping a 17 years old girl who is believed to be mentally ill.
The victim who is a learner at Tiitsane Primary School was fishing at Ngwaritsi River with her peers on Sunday during the day when the deceased found them.
Community members said the children who were with the victim told them that the late Njiks gave them R50 each and told them he was leaving with one of the girls and instructed them not to say anything to anyone.
However the children disobeyed his instructions and went straight to the victim’s home to report but found no one, residents said.
“The victim’s mother was not at home when the children arrived. But after her arrival she asked them where the other (victim) was. They told her she left with Njiks,” said residents.
The mother of seven called an urgent community meeting seeking assistances, explained Community.
They said they went straight to the deceased home but they were met with Njiks and the victim on their way to the victim’s home.
“The angry community apprehended Njiks and asked the victim where she was and what happened. She (victim) confessed that she was raped. The community beat him up until the police arrived,” said residents.
“He had already sustained serious injuries when police arrived and an ambulance was called and we were told that he died at hospital,” they explained.
The mother’s victim, who lives with her two daughters including the victim, said a test was performed on the victim and the results proved that her child was raped.
She also added that this is not the first time the deceased tried to rape her child, just he failed with previous attempts.
“My child has not stopped crying since the incident, and she is now starting to have nightmares which means she is unable to sleep” explained the mother.
The victim’s brother, who arrived on Tuesday from Gauteng, said he was fed up as the deceased has been abusing his family for a long time.
A team of Social workers and counselors will be visiting the family to offer them counseling were needed, starting next week Tuesday.
A case of rape was opened by the victim’s family at the Masemola Police Station.