TIYANI – A well-known businessman, Raxal Hoguue (39), briefly appeared in the Hlanganani Magistrate’s Court last Friday, on a charge of rape. The incident to which the case is linked took place at Tiyani settlement in the Hlanganani area two weeks ago.

According to the spokesperson of the police in the Mopani area, Capt Maano Sadiki, it is alleged that, on the day of the incident the victim and her two friends went to the local shop to buy some goods. While at the shop, it is alleged that the suspect told the girls that he was about to go out to deliver some ordered goods in the village.

According to the police statement, the suspect had requested the girls to go with him, saying he needed someone who could assist him in the offloading of goods. The girls agreed and the suspect drove off. After delivering at a few houses, the suspect allegedly changed the route and drove in the direction of the bushes.

On arrival in the bushes, he parked the vehicle along the road and requested the victim (a ten-year-old girl) to go with him, leaving the other two girls aged 11 and 13 at the vehicle. After a long time, the suspect and the victim came back.

At that stage the victim was holding a R20 note in her hand. The suspect gave the victim’s friends R10 each. When the victim’s friends started questioning her as to why she had been given R20 while they were only given R10 each, the suspect allegedly promised to give them their additional R10 each the following day.

The following day, the two girls went to the suspect and demanded the money as promised. The suspect refused to give them any more money and allegedly indicated to them that he gave the victim R20 because she had worked for it. The statement further indicates that the victim also told her friends that it would be unfair for the suspect to give them R20 as well, as she had laboured for hers while they were being given money for nothing.

The argument gave rise to the police’s coming to know about the story and the suspect was arrested two days after the incident. He briefly appeared in the same court last Monday, July 25.

His bail application was turned down and the case was remanded to last Friday, July 29. He was not asked to plead when he appeared in court last Friday. He was released after paying bail of R1 000 and the case was postponed to September 6. The court also ordered Hoguue to report to the Hlanganani Police Sta-tion twice a week.