By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
9 September 2024– A man (29) was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by the Kuruman Regional Court for rape. The incident was reported to the police on 6 June 2020.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Northern Cape, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the victim testified that she was sexually assaulted by Temosho Parkins, whom she knew.
“She said on the day of the assault, she was sitting in her home with the accused and her two cousins. During their gathering, one cousin stepped out to use the bathroom due to a stomach ailment, while the other left to meet his girlfriend.
“Seizing the opportunity, the accused carried the victim from the sofa to the bedroom and raped her. The assault only ceased when the cousin returned from the bathroom and opened the bedroom door,” he said.
Senokoatsane further said in the aftermath of the shocking ordeal, the victim did not immediately disclose the incident to her cousins or anyone else. He added that it was only a week later, following a WhatsApp status update in which she expressed: “I could have told my parents,” that her uncle became concerned and inquired about it.
“After confiding in her uncle about the rape, he informed the victim’s mother, which led to the opening of a formal case. Although the victim’s uncle passed away before the trial commenced, his statement, as the first report, was submitted and accepted by the court under Section 3(1)(c) of the Hearsay Evidence Act, with the court deeming it in the interest of justice.
“During the trial, the accused initially denied the allegations but later testified that the victim had given her consent. The state prosecutor, Kekeletso Lokota led the cross-examination of Parkins, utilizing several Facebook messages, where he expressed remorse, discussed suicidal thoughts, and mentioned his intentions to turn himself into the police following confrontations about the crime,” said Senokoatsane.
He said the court ultimately found Parkins guilty and sentenced him to 12 years of direct imprisonment. He said in addition, he was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and unsuitable for working with children and his name will be listed in the National Register for Sex Offenders.
“The NPA expresses hope that this conviction will provide justice and closure to the victim and her family. The NPA remains committed to removing violent criminals from society and upholding the rights of victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV),” he said.
The Guardian 