Man jailed for 8 years for bestiality after assault on neighbour’s dog
A SOWETO man, Mojalesa Plaas Mofokeng has been sentenced to eight years in jail for bestiality.
The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has welcomed the sentence handed down by the court.
It said in a statement that Mofokeng was found guilty of bestiality after assaulting his neighbour’s dog, Moana.
“In the early hours of November 21, 2020, a tenant living on a property in Soweto witnessed the man naked and precariously positioned in Moana’s kennel. Having been caught with his pants literally down, he was then apprehended by members of the community,” said a NSPCA statement.
When the NSPCA arrived they found the dog had been severely violated and was in need of urgent veterinary attention.
“The dog was immediately taken to the NSPCA’s vet for examination and treatment. Dr Bryce Marock confirmed that the dog, named Moana, was inhumanely restrained, and demonstrated injuries consistent with rape. Moana was only 11 months old at the time,” said the statement.
According to the NSPCA, Mofokeng was granted bail after his initial arrest; however, he contravened the imposed bail conditions by failing to appear before the court which resulted in him being rearrested.
According to the NSPCA, with the original witness being absent, the success of the matter rested on the testimony of Dr Marock, and Inspector Shiven Bodasing from the NSPCA’s Special Investigations Unit.
The NSPCA said it believed the sentence handed down was the longest direct term of imprisonment ever imposed for animal cruelty in Africa and it hoped it would set a precedent in the country.
“Bestiality is a serious concern in our country. It is a shameful crime that is swept under carpets to protect perpetrators, forgetting that bestiality usually progresses to the abuse of children and eventually other adult human beings at a later stage.
“We hope other bestiality cases being heard across the country will follow suit as a precedent has been set, and that animal rapists have been thoroughly cautioned of the consequences,” said the NSPCA.