‘How FB customers lured, gang-raped us’
MBABANE – The matter involving two sex workers, who were allegedly raped by two men who posed as customers on Facebook, is set to resume at the High Court.
In a statement, one of the complainants recounted how the accused persons allegedly gang-raped her inside a rondavel. The alleged customers, now turned accused persons, are reported to have gang-raped the complainants last year after purportedly luring them through social media.
In her statement, one of the complainants related to the court that on June 20, 2022, she left Matsapha to meet her customer, whom she had met on Facebook.
She alleged that she was going to meet her ‘boyfriend’ for the first time and when she called him, his phone was unavailable on the network. She narrated to the court that when she reached Manyamatsini, she continued calling him, to no avail.
“As I was going towards the overhead bridge at Mnyamatsini, a man emerged from the drainage carrying a bush knife. She ordered me not to shout and led me to an abandoned rondavel and that is where he proceeded to have unlawful sexual act with me without using any protection. After he had finished, he ordered me to face the wall and he left,” submitted the complainant.
Police
It was further her submission that, she went out of the rondavel and sought assistance from a nearby Mahlindza homestead and the matter was eventually reported to the police.
In her statement, the other witness submitted that on May 8, 2022, she went to Mnyamatsini, Edladleni area, to her friend’s place. She alleged that at the bus stop she met two men who ordered her to stop. “They ordered me to go with them to an abandoned house at Mnyamatsini.
“One of them was carrying a knife. At the house, they both had unlawful sex with me one after the other. After they had left I went to the main road where I was assisted by a driver of a motor vehicle, which was passing by. He took me to the police to report the matter.”
The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lomvula Motsa, has filed an indictment at the High Court in readiness to prosecute the accused persons, Mbuso Patrick Dlamini and Samkelo Welcome Zandamela.
The Crown is expected to lead a total of seven witnesses to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt against the duo. Among the witnesses to be paraded by the prosecution are some of the people who assisted the complainants after they were allegedly raped by the two men.
Appearing for the Crown in the matter is Principal Crown Counsel Futhi Gamedze, from the chamber of the director of public prosecutions.