Court frees alleged rapists after victim’s death

THE suicide of a 14-year-old rape victim who simply could no longer tolerate being at length cross-examined by the defence lawyers of her three alleged rapists, ended in a victory for them as they are now walking free due to a technicality in the case.

- ZELDA VENTER

Two of the men had their life imprisonment sentences overturned, while the third, who was a minor at the time, also had his 15-year jail sentence overturned.

The Bloemfontein High Court found on appeal that the three are entitled to their freedom as it is their Constitutional right to fully cross-examine their alleged victim. She, however, died before this could be concluded, and thus, their trial was rendered unfair.

The teenage complainant testified during a protracted trial, which was end-lessly postponed for numerous reasons from September 2018. Her evidence-in-chief only started two years later. She was then cross-examined by the legal representative of two of the accused.