A police officer investigating rape allegations against a former Mpumalanga MEC has told a court of law that the politician might skip the country if granted bail.
The ANC leader, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the twin daughters he is accused of having molested repeatedly, appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court this week.
“I cannot rule out the possibility that the father and his stepson will not escape from the country should they be granted bail. I believe there is a huge chance they will skip the country because they know what a conviction will mean,” Sergeant Solomon Mbokodo told the court.”
Mbokodo said the politician, 48, and his stepson, 26, were named in the molestation after the twin girls were found to have been sexually penetrated.
He however told the court that the police could not obtain the DNA of the accused from the eight-year-old girls because 72 hours had lapsed since the last violation occurred.
This means the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will only rely on the testimony of the alleged victims in the case.
NPA spokesperson in Mpumalanga, Monica Nyuswa said they had a strong case against the two accused.
“It is alleged that the eight-year-old girls were repeatedly raped by the father and stepson. The police received information from the school when one of the girls was seen with blood on her underwear. They were rushed to the hospital for a check-up and it was found that they were violated,” said Nyuswa.
She said the girls have since been taken to a place of safety.
“The NPA strongly condemns violence against women and children. This is a serious case and one that is a Schedule 6 offense. Bail will strongly be opposed,” said Nyuswa.
The case has been postponed to October 14 for a ruling to be handed on the bail application.