Eight life terms for raping young girls
A MOZAMBICAN citizen who raped four girls between the ages of 7 and 15 was not only a disgrace to his family and the community, but also to all men, said a judge.
Judge J Ratshivumo, sitting in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, said he could not understand how Raul Balele, a father of five, prayed on young children while he had a wife and girlfriends of his own.
He sentenced the 47-year-old to eight life terms.
“In light of the deeds of the accused, I wish children would learn not to trust anyone,” he said.
Balele received seven life sentences for rape, and one for child trafficking.
A 15-year-old close relative was, according to Balele, “sold” to him by her mother in Mozambique for R1 500.
He claimed the teenager, with whom he had a child, willingly stayed with him as his wife and had consensual sex.
The girl, however, testified she was brought to South Africa from Mozambique and crossed borders without any documentation. She said Balele met up with her in Brits and took her to his home, where he kept her locked up.
She was excited when he asked her to come to South Africa to cook for him, and he promised to pay her. But once here, he kept her locked up in the house and refused to allow her contact with her family or the neighbours. He even accompanied her to the outside toilet.
The girl managed to escape and called the police, but by this time she was pregnant with his child. She wanted an abortion but Balele refused permission.
The judge said that in light of what he had done to her, he could have at least allowed her to have an abortion.
He said now the girl, whose virginity was taken by Balele, would for the rest of her life have to live with the consequences of what had happened to her.
The judge said Balele showed no remorse for what he had done.