Couple's bush outing ends in gang rape

A 27-year-old woman’s late-night outing with her middle-aged boyfriend took a tragic turn in Letlhakane’s Sekwa ward.Details of the incident reveal that the couple had decided to drive around nearby areas to relax, eventually stopping at Sekwa ward near Prisons, an area occupied by squatters.Upon parking their car, they were attacked by five men who threatened the man and forcibly dragged the woman away, taking turns to rape her. According to Letlhakane Police Station Commander,Superintendent Michael Maphephu, all five suspects have been arrested and remanded in custody."The man who was with the victim is not implicated in the matter. The victim was rushed to the hospital and is currently recovering," Maphephu said. He added that couples may choose to relax wherever they want, but advised the public to prioritise safety and avoid secluded or unsafe areas as the two were attacked shortly after parking.Maphephu also noted that rape cases in his policing area fluctuate, with numbers sometimes increasing and at other times decreasing.In a separate incident, Superintendent Maphephu revealed that police are investigating a case in which a 15-year-old student was raped in a storeroom at a Junior secondary school.He said the student was called to the storeroom by the suspect and, unaware of any danger, went there only to be raped. “The suspect has already appeared in court and has been charged with rape,”Maphephu said, adding that the accused is a 39-year-old man. He noted that investigations into the matter are still ongoing.According to section 142 of the Penal Code, a person who is charged with rape is not entitled to bail, and upon conviction, will be sentenced to a minimum of 10 or 15 years, depending on whether the rape was violent and resulted in injury to the victim or survivor, and a maximum of life imprisonment.The Botswana Network on Ethics, Law, and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) has previously noted with concern, the growing number of incidences of child sexual assault and rape in Botswana.

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Couple's bush outing ends in gang rape