Girl tells of 'thing' in her

2003-06-24 20:25

Johannesburg - A 7-year-old orphaned HIV-positive rape victim sent a ripple of laughter through a packed Vosloorus Regional Court on Tuesday when she was asked why she had not reported to her aunt that she had been raped and replied that she "sometimes lied".

The girl, who was continuing her testimony after the hearing was adjourned last Tuesday, told the court that the accused, Nhlanhla Rumo, 27, was lying when he said that he did not rape her because he was at work on the day of the alleged incident.

The girl shocked the court last week when she told magistrate Sydney Badenhorst that after Rumo had finished raping her there was blood all over his trousers.

The cheerful girl, who was playing with toys while giving testimony through an intermediary, said Rumo placed her on top of him and moved up and down while lying on his back.

Rumo, of Vosloorus on the East Rand, lived a stone's throw from his alleged victim's home and was known to her family. He pleaded not guilty to the rape charge.

The girl was taken to a place of safety in the Katorus area by a field worker from the provincial government.

Rumo was arrested in January, a month after the incident allegedly took place on December 21 last year.

The girl said that before she was raped she had been playing with a friend outside her home. Two boys whose names could not be revealed came and took her to Rumo's house.

'Cherry'

She told the court the 27-year-old took her into his bedroom and closed the door. He then took off her dress and underwear and raped her.

He moved up and down with his "thing" inside her, she said.

Nomsa Sohaba, a volunteer HIV/Aids caregiver from the Angels of Mercy organisation, who also nursed the girl's mother before she died from an Aids-related ailment two years ago, said she became aware of the alleged rape when the girl reported the incident to her a few days later.

Sohaba said after listening to the girl's story, she reported the matter to the police. The following week she took the girl to a trauma centre.

According to Sohaba, the girl said Rumo's mother had come into the bedroom after she had heard screams. When she asked Rumo what was happening, he said the noise was made by his "cherry".

The girl testified that Rumo and his mother told her not to tell anyone.

The court was then adjourned because the district surgeon who examined the girl was not available to give evidence.

- SAPA