MAN RAPES 2 PUPILS AGED 8,9 AT BETHANY

BETHANY – It is believed that a balaclava wearing rapist is on the loose at Matsapha. The suspicions come after two pupils, aged eight and nine, were allegedly raped at knifepoint in a forest near Nokwane Army Headquarters while on their way to school yesterday morning.

The pupils are from one of the surrounding schools and were  attacked at around 7:30am yesterday. The two children, who are neighbours at Phondo, are said to have always used the short cut going through the army headquarters when going to school.

The man who produced a knife before raping them is said to have escaped after committing the offence.
According to the children, the suspect was wearing a blue and red t-shirt, black hat, which had covered his face. Both pupils could not recognise the colour of the trousers the suspect was wearing when the incident occurred.

During the alleged rape incident, another tried escaping, however, the suspect chased after her and threatened to kill her with the knife, which he had placed on her neck.

After the ordeal, they allegedly ran through the army headquarters and met up with an employee from the USDF support staff, Nomphumelelo Tsabedze, at the entrance who immediately accompanied them to the school administration to report the matter.

“I am still traumatised by the incident, especially seeing two young innocent children running through the army headquarters shouting for help. When they saw me at the gate, they threw themselves at me. One of them who had her uniform soaked in blood and screamed, saying a man had just raped them inside the forest,” Tsabedze said.

She further revealed that she took both pupils to their school’s head teacher, who was informed about the incident. The pupils were rushed to the police station by the deputy head teacher, the police are said to have given them medical forms which they produced at the MSF Public Clinic (Doctors Without Borders) situated in Matsapha.

Upon arrival at the clinic, the girls were allegedly locked in one of the counselling rooms.
One of the nurses requested that the deputy get hold of the pupil’s parents as they needed to be there during the counselling sessions they had to go through. It was also gathered that the duo would then be tested and further given medication.

Neither of the parents was willing to comment on the rape incident as they said they were still traumatised and pained by it. “We last saw our children in the morning and later received calls that they had been sexually abused by a certain man. we are still traumatised, our children’s future has already been ruined and we do not have anything to say,” one of the parents said upon arrival at the clinic.

The head teacher of where the pupils attend school, confirmed that he had received the news and said it was a shocking and strange incident that had never occurred at the school.

“I am still shocked that the pupils had to go through such an ordeal, we condemn this act and have already called the school committee members to deliberate on the issue. We have already contacted their parents and they are currently on the way to the hospital where they are being treated,” he said.

He further stated that he had already informed the Ministry of Education and Training via the Manzini Regional Education Officer (REO), Regina Shongwe.

The REO confirmed that she had received the news, however, she was still awaiting written correspondence on the matter. Shongwe further stated that the ministry condemned such acts as they traumatised those affected. “We were also informed that the said children were taken to the hospital by the school administration after the rape incident,” Shongwe said.

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