Times Of Swaziland: SOLDIER ACCUSED OF STRIPPING LOVER PUPILS NAKED, RAPE

SOLDIER ACCUSED OF STRIPPING LOVER PUPILS NAKED, RAPE
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BY ZWELAKHE MOAHLOLI on 02/12/2017 03:20:00


MATSAMO – Heartless, degrading and atrocious! These words fall short of
describing the reprehensible conduct of a soldier who allegedly assaulted and
raped a pupil believed to be in an intimate relationship with another pupil.
According to the rape survivor, *Samu, 16, the soldier allegedly found them
walking hand in hand with her high school sweetheart when he scorned at their
actions as they had just kissed.
She said the soldier rebuked their act of passion and slapped them and further
hit them with fists before he ordered them to strip and emulate sexual
intercourse.
While they were emulating the intercourse, Samu said the soldier was taking
their pictures in the compromising positions.
Furthermore, he is alleged to have also ordered the male pupil to walk around
naked into the forest while he proceeded to rape Samu.
This incident is said to have occurred at Mlumati, which is a community
sandwiched by Matsamo and Ndlalambi, in the Northern Hhohho Region.
According to the survivors of the sexual violation and humiliation, their
nightmare occurred on a Saturday, after their school scheduled study time. Samu
and *Mandla, both Form III pupils, were headed to a bus stop from school when
they were brutally violated.
“We usually have extra lessons on Saturdays. However, on this particular day
we did not find the teachers at school as anticipated.
On the Friday, we had had aptitude tests and some of us did not get hold of
information that there would be no classes the next day,” Samu said,
explaining why they were at school on the Saturday.
Mandla concurred with her on this saying during one of their stops, while they
kissed, they were interrupted by footsteps approaching from behind.
“We realised that an adult male was walking towards us and stepped aside to
let him pass as a sign of respect,” he said.
He said instead of passing, the man, who she later learnt was a soldier, slapped
Samu with an open hand across the chest before pushing her to the ground.
The man is said to have demanded to know why they were wasting their parents’
money.
“He said our parents believed we were at school studying, yet we were busy
fooling around,” Samu recounted.
Seeing that the situation was becoming tense, Mandla tried to flee from the
scene, but was stopped before he could get anywhere.
The couple’s apologies and pleas fell on deaf ears as the soldier did not let
them go but instead ordered them to shut up because.
With tears swelling in her eyes, Samu said the member of the Umbutfo Swaziland
Defence Force (USDF) led them to a secluded spot, saying he wanted to discipline
them.
“He said he did not want to be disturbed by people when meting out the
discipline.”
“He then made me to remove my shoes and panties (underwear). He then hiked my
dress before ordering the boy to lie on top of me as if we were having sex.
“He then took pictures. While taking the pictures, he said he wanted to make
sure that if we tried to play smart...he would post them on social media and
also show them to our head teacher. He added that he would also take the
pictures to the Times,” Samu narrated. This was also confirmed by Mandla in a
separate interview on a different day.
The soldier allegedly told the duo that he would go around spreading rumours
that he had caught them having sex in the forest.
Samu said after taking the pictures, the man instructed Mandla, who was still
naked, to get five sticks to be used for disciplining them.
Facing up in the sky, with her eyes shut tight as if trying to hold back tears,
Samu further recounted that when Mandla came back with the sticks, he was
ordered to go take a bath in a river which was a few a metres away.
Wiping her right eye, the teenager alleged that the soldier threatened to give
her a hundred strokes on the buttocks. She pleaded with him not to beat her.
For a moment, Samu thought her pleas had touched the man’s heart because he
released his foot from the chest. However, worse was yet to come.
The interview had to be stopped for a few minutes as the pupil broke down and
wept hysterical while trying to speak in between sobs.
After regaining her composure, Samu continued to narrate that the soldier took
off his pants then ordered her to undress.
“He then raped me without using protection,” she alleged.
After the ordeal, Samu was allegedly instructed to call out for Mandla from the
river.
Mandla said when he rejoined Samu and the soldier he realised that the sticks he
had brought earlier on were broken into pieces.
“I assumed that he had beaten Samu as part of the punishment. I was also
ordered to lie on the ground and he beat me on the buttocks, once,” Mandla
added.
After the ordeal the soldier is said to have demanded to know the boy’s
surname and more details about his family, including contact details.
“I reluctantly gave him. After that he warned us not to try to be smart by
telling anyone about the punishment.”
Adding, Mandla said the soldier told them that some community members did not
like him so they should not be made aware of the incident.
Mandla alleged that the army officer then walked them to the bus station, but
turned back before they reached the destination.
“I then walked my girlfriend to the station. We did not say much along the way
since we were both traumatised.
Samu eventually told Mandla about the rape ordeal.
“I did not believe the story. But I rushed home to change. Before I returned
to the bus station, I told a friend about my conversation with Samu and the
encounter with the soldier.
Mandla said they reported the matter to Ngonini police after consulting with
more friends and some of their teachers about three days later.
Chief Police Information and Communication Officer Superintendent Khulani Mamba
confirmed that police were aware of the matter and it was still being
investigated.
He added that an inquiry had been opened.
Asked why it was taking long to make any arrest, Mamba responded that some cases
rape were complicated.
Mlumati High School Head teacher, identified as Mr Ngwenya, confirmed that the
matter was reported to him by some teachers who had spoken to the pupils.
“We took them for counselling. However, only the girl seems to be responding
well to the counselling,” the educator noted.
He added that they were now worried about the male pupil because he did not get
much counselling.
“I’m told the children were beaten. And this instilled fear in them. The man
also threatened to expose them in the media that he caught them in the act,”
the head teacher pointed out.
*Not their real names.