Child raped, given bubblegum
02/03/2007 15:54  - (SA)  

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Thabisile Khoza

Mpumalanga - A Pakistani shop owner has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl who had gone to buy bread and then giving her mother three bubblegum as "thanks".

The 30-year-old man owns a shop in the impoverished Phiva village in Mpumalanga.

He was arrested on Thursday, said Constable Mzwandile Nyambi on Friday.

The suspect, who is expected to appear in court soon, is accused of taking the child to a back room after she and her younger sister arrived to buy bread for their school lunch.

The girl told police that the suspect said he wanted her to be his wife and took her to the back room.

After she was raped, she was given three chewing gums to give to her mother as "thanks" for sending her daughter to the shop.

The girl told her mother what happened and was taken to the police.

She is receiving counselling at the Masisukumeni women's crisis centre.