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Court waits on DNA test results in wedding rape case involving three young girls

The case against a man who allegedly raped young girls who were attending a wedding in the North West is waiting for DNA results
The case against a man who allegedly raped young girls who were attending a wedding in the North West is waiting for DNA results
Image: 123RF/Artit Oubkaew

The Itsoseng magistrate's court has postponed the case of a North West man accused of raping three children in December, while the state waits for DNA test results.

Clement Letsholo, 53, allegedly lured the girls, aged between six and nine, to his house and raped them.

He has pleaded not guilty. 

The alleged crime happened when the girls' parents were attending a wedding ceremony next door.

Called to the stand, investigating officer Itumeleng Lechoo told the court that  he was waiting for the DNA test results before the case could be transferred to the regional court.

“The DNA has since been sent to be analysed. We need to firstly check if they positively link him to all three counts of rape," he said.

The court gallery was packed to capacity with community members who came to show support to the girls' parents.

Community leader  Moleko Senatla said the community will attend the case until justice has been served.

He said the accused was one of the community leaders and people had trusted in him.

“We cannot keep a blind eye. We need the community to trust their leaders again. We are not saying that he is guilty but we are showing our concern by supporting the victims,” he said.

According to the information in court documents the children were lured by Letsholo under the pretext that he wanted to watch TV with them.

The alleged incident happened on the evening of December 23 while parents of the children were attending a wedding ceremony at Letsholo’s next door neighbour.

It was stated that after the parents realised that the children were missing, they started a search and Letsholo came out of his house with the girls.  The girls then allegedly told their parents that he had raped and threatened them with a knife.

The case was postponed until July 29 for the director of public prosecutions to transfer the case to the regional court.

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