A 14-year-old boy from Tshikuwi area in Mphephu was arrested for allegedly raping his six-year-old sister while their mother was asleep, police have said.

The police spokeswoman for the Mphephu area, Const Litshani Muthuli, said the incident occurred on Sunday, 27 January, at around 20:00. The boy was arrested the following day, following a report to the police.

"On the day in question, the mother went to sleep and left the boy and his sister alone outside the family house. During that time, the boy allegedly raped his sister," she said.

Soon after the incident, the girl started bleeding profusely. When their mother woke up, the girl was subsequently rushed to a local clinic where the medical report confirmed that she had been raped.

Const Muthuli said the boy admitted to having raped the girl and a report was made to the police, leading to his arrest. "We would like to urge parents to be on the lookout for their children to avoid the recurrence of such incidents," said the police spokeswoman.