Lerato Moloi opens rape case against comedian
Comedian refers matter to lawyer
Model and actor Lerato Moloi has opened a rape case against a well-known comedian and TV personality.
According to Moloi in a lengthy statement issued to Sowetan, the alleged sexual assault happened in 2014 while she was working on a television production in Paarl, Western Cape.
The comedian yesterday declined to comment on the rape allegations levelled against him and redirected all Sowetan’s questions on the matter to his lawyer, only referred to as Marius. “Please call my lawyer, he will give a statement,” he said.
The lawyer failed to pick up his phone when called numerous times and did not respond to a text message with specific questions on the matter.
“For numerous reasons, I did not open a case at the time and only shared this experience with one of the other participants on the show,” Moloi said in the statement.
“The trauma, guilt and shame of the assault has left me with immeasurable emotional scars for the past six years.”
Police spokesperson Capt Fikile Funda confirmed to Sowetan yesterday that the rape case was opened at Vereeniging police station.
“The case was opened with us and it was transferred to Paarl FCS [family violence, child protection and sexual offences] unit. Paarl station acknowledged and received the docket.
“Our local FCS unit has checked the status of the case and the docket was booked out at Paarl on August 3, which is Monday, to the senior state prosecutor for a decision.”
Moloi first detailed accusations of her sexual assault experience in early June in a series of tweets in which she named the comedian as the alleged perpetrator.
Moloi confirmed that she was then served with a protection and interim order demanding that she delete her tweets.
After resisting, Moloi was arrested for contempt of court and spent a night in jail. She then opened a case of sexual assault against the man.
“A lot of times we wonder why victims of GBV take a long time to speak up against how they have been violated and stripped of the rights to their bodies,” Moloi said.
“I can say that with my own lived experience, there are many factors which keep us silent. I have been discouraged by close people and management against speaking my truth because it was said this would be too uncomfortable for too many.
“I was told that coming out with the truth would affect not only my rapist’s life, but also the health of his, at some point, pregnant wife. I have been intimidated against coming out.
“I have been shamed for putting myself in that position. Even after leaving the holding cell after having spent a winter’s night in the cold cell, it took me almost two weeks to eventually have my statement taken and my rape case opened against my rapist.”