A girl, now aged nine, told the Bhisho high court on Thursday how the family’s boarder had allegedly raped her and her two sisters when they were 11, seven and five.
She was giving evidence via a TV monitor with the assistance of an intermediary.
Her evidence followed that of her younger sister, who claimed she, too, had been raped by the 28-year-old man in their Ilitha township home in Qonce in 2021.
The man, who remains unnamed to protect the identity of his victims, faces three counts of rape and sexual assault, and has pleaded not guilty.
It is the state’s case that in 2021 the man, who lived at the sisters’ home, raped all three girls, now aged 12, nine and seven, while their mother was out.
The first child was 11 when she was allegedly attacked.
The middle sister, aged seven at the time, claimed she had been raped on a number of occasions between March and April 1.
The youngest child, who was five at the time, was playing with her friends in the street before the accused allegedly pounced on her.
On April 2 2021, the little girls had a talk with a relative, who said they should report it if anyone ever did something untoward to them.
The middle sister, in tears, then told the relative what had allegedly been happening.
The other two girls then also told the relative they had allegedly been violated.
A case was opened with the police and the girls were taken to the Grey Thuthuzela Care Centre, where they were examined.
According to the indictment, the examination report of the two older siblings did not exclude penetration, while the examination report of the youngest was consistent with forced penetration.
Judge Igna Stretch heard the middle sister’s evidence that the man had allegedly threatened to assault and kill her if she reported what had happened to anyone.
The man had dragged her to his bedroom and allegedly forced himself on her, the child said.
“He dragged me when I was fetching my doll. My mother was not home.
“She was at a drinking spot. He undressed me and then [allegedly] raped me,” the child testified.
She said she was bleeding afterwards..
“He took my underwear and washed it,” she alleged.
Using dolls she demonstrated how she had allegedly been attacked.
The youngest girl also told the court she had been attacked.
Apart from the man she had been alone at home, she said.
“He told me to lie on the chair and I refused,” she alleged.
He forced me to lie on the chair and got on top of me,” the child added, also testifying through a TV monitor.
The accused, who is in custody, watched the TV monitor as they testified.
The little girl said she had cried while the accused was allegedly raping her.
The trial continues on Friday.
DispatchLIVE
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