The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has welcomed the conviction of Phillips Malope (43) who was handed two life sentences on Monday 2 September 2019, by the Lichtenburg Regional court for Trafficking in Persons and Rape of a fourteen year old girl.
It is alleged that in January 2018, the accused took the victim from Mozambique, after convincing her parents that he was offering her employment at his home in Thabazimbi. The suspect took the victim to Coligny instead, where he was employed as a security guard and occupied a one room with his girlfriend.
The victim was allegedly made to sleep on the floor in the same room with the couple, she would allegedly be woken up in the early hours of the morning to clean, wash clothes belonging to the couple and cook for dogs. The suspect would allegedly rape the victim when his girlfriend was not around until one night when the girlfriend found the suspect raping the victim in a nearby bush.
She immediately alerted the police.
The suspect was arrested and remanded in custody until ultimately being sentenced. Meanwhile the victim was taken to a place of safety where she is receiving ongoing counselling.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
