Nelspruit: 11 June 2023 – The parents of the alleged raped victim are expected to appear at the Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court today, 12 June 2023, this time for concealment of death. This development comes after the remains of a child (01) were exhumed in Pienaar at a place where the young girl (14/15 years old) was allegedly raped by her step-father (43) whilst assisted by her own biological mother (35).
The news concerning the buried of a child in a shallow grave behind the shack where the family lived, surfaced as Police investigators were trying to get a picture on the circumstances surrounding the girl’s ordeal. Valuable information came forth about a child whose whereabouts was unknown. According to the investigation, people in the neighborhood were worried sick after not seen that child for quite a while without being notified about his death.
This eventually led to the exhumation and discovery of the child’s remains on Wednesday, 07 June 2023. A case was opened for that matter hence both parents are now faced with an additional charge laid against them.
The investigation is ongoing and a Forensic investigation is underway to establish the cause of the child’s death.
Police at this stage cannot rule out the possibility of adding more charges against them. So far police have learned that the parents are not South African citizens and it is believed that they are originally from Mozambique without valid documentation to be in the country. However, in this matter, the SAPS is working collaboratively with the Department of Home Affairs to ascertain their status in the country.
Just to get a background of where this stems from, the matter regarding the girl’s rape was kept under the carpet for years. It is also alleged that the young girl came to a point where she ran from home to escape from her assailants then she came across a man who took her in but he too, allegedly raped her. However, be as it may, some members of the community alerted the authorities during the beginning of this past week. The case was opened and the matter was investigated by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Pienaar and the step-father (43) as well as the biological mother (35) were arrested on Tuesday (06 June 2023) then charged accordingly.
The little girl as well as her four siblings were removed to a place of safety.
In the meantime it is worth noting that the parents appeared at the Kabokweni Magistrate’s Court on 07 June 2023 on charges of rape where their case was posponed to 14 June 2023 but the two are still kept in custody.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has lashed out on the alleged behaviour by the parents against their own, more especially that this sad story emerged during the celebration of Youth Month. “Parents are tasked with the responsibility to bring up children in a responsible manner so that these young ones in turn grow up to be responsible future parents. Children should be protected and they must never be abused by anyone, including their own parents” said the General.
