TEENAGER, 19, LOSES VIRGINITY TO STEPFATHER
Rapist gets 10 years in jail
An abusive stepfather who raped his 19-yearold stepdaughter was this week sent to Jail for 10 years.
Macdonald Lobelwane (38) raped the teenager at their home in Lorwane Village in July 2019.
When sending Lobelwane to the slammer this week, Lobatse Magistrate, Gofaone Morwaeng, highlighted that the victim (name known to this publication) trusted Lobelwane as her stepfather.
“He was entrusted with her safety and he failed the parenthood test as evidenced by the offence he ultimately committed against her. She lost her chastity in the most undignified manner to a person whom she looked up to as a father,” Morwaeng noted.
Facts of the case are that on the fateful day, the family travelled from Lobatse to Lorwane village for a family function. After the event the family convened for some entertainment. It is on record that later in the evening while sitting by the fire, Lobelwane had an altercation with the victim’s mother.
At around 3am, the convicted stepfather berated the teen victim for not going to sleep and she ultimately left the fireplace.
“The accused followed her on the way and led her to the the outdoor toilet where he claimed there was something he needed to show her. Lobelwane pushed her inside and locked the door. He then asked her whether she had a boyfriend and whether she was still a virgin and she told him that she was a virgin and had no boyfriend,” reads court record.
According to the testimony from the victim, after a tussle in the toilet, she managed to convince him to open the door for her and she went to the house once again with him in hot pursuit.
“He switched off the lights and ordered her to move to the middle of the bed. He eventually undressed her and proceeded to ravage her. During the rape, her uncle came into their room and asked whether they were sleeping but he had covered her mouth and the lights were off. After finishing, he fell asleep on her bed,” Morwaeng noted as he delivered his sentence.
The following morning, the victim told her mother.
According to the state, when confronted by the family, Lobelwane admitted to the horrible incident. He, however, changed his statement in court.
For his defence, the stepfather pleaded not guilty. In his court testimony, he said he had forgotten most of the events of the day. He, however, remembered that he had slept in the children’s room because he had to take care of the victim’s younger brother that night.
Morwaeng dismissed the stepfather’s claims on account of among others that the victim is a credible witness and has no reason to fabricate evidence against her stepfather. Medical records also proved that the victim had lost her chastity.
“The effects of sexual offences to the victims are immeasurable as often they are left with physical, emotional and psychological trauma,” Morwaeng found.