HLANGANANI – A taxi driver, Mr Mudunwazi Eddy Mathonsi (48) of Chavani Village has briefly appeared in the Hlanganani magistrate's court last Friday on a charge of rape.

This follows an incident that took pace at the Ndengeza RDP houses near Nwamatatani village on September 29 at about 09:25.

According to the spokesperson of the police at Hlanganani, Insp Falaza Vuma, the victim was waiting for her grandmother at the Ndengeza RDP houses bus stop when the incident took place. According to a police statement the suspect allegedly pulled off the road and stopped next to the unsuspecting victim.

The statement further indicates that the suspect then allegedly threatened the victim with death and forced her into the taxi. He then drove to the nearby bushes where he parked the vehicle and raped the toddler repeatedly. After raping the girl the suspect allegedly offered her an amount of R3.

He allegedly ordered the victim to go and take a bath at home before she did anything. The statement further indicates that the girl was also instructed not to tell anybody about the incident or else she would be killed. The victim is a 12-year-old girl.

The matter was reported to the police later that afternoon and the suspect was arrested the following day. He was not asked to plead during his first court appearance. The case was postponed until next Monday, October 14 but the suspect was remanded in custody.