A man from Lüderitz has appeared in the Windhoek High Court for allegedly repeatedly raping a minor who was a flower girl at his wedding in 2016.
The state alleges that the incidents took place at the suspect’s home on various occasions between 2020 and October 2021. The suspect allegedly threatened to kill the girl if she reported the crime.
The court was informed on Tuesday that the victim is a niece of the suspect’s wife. She was eight years old when the rapes reportedly started.
The suspect pleaded not guilty to the charges at the start of his trial on Tuesday.
The girl’s father on Tuesday testified that his daughter has been living with him since 2021, after she reported the rape. Prior to that, she lived in the suspect’s house.
According to him, another child who lived with the suspect and the victim alerted him in late 2021 that his daughter and another child from the same home wanted to start attending school in northern Namibia and that they needed to see him.
“I asked my daughter why she wants to go school in the north while I myself reside at Lüderitz. She started crying and said she was told by the suspect to not say anything or else he would kill her,” the father testified.
The other child, he said, told him that the uncle had been “playing” with the victim.
“After I heard this I took them to the hospital and the doctors said there was no need to examine the children. I then took the children to the police station. The police advised that we go back the hospital to test the children. Both children were examined and it was revealed that only my daughter was raped,” the father testified.
He further told the court that after that, he took his daughter’s belongings from the suspect’s home and moved her to his house.
According to him, his daughter was left traumatised as she would wake up screaming and shouting the suspect’s name.
Her mother, who also testified on Tuesday, said the victim had informed her of the alleged rape incidents, and that she had been living with the couple since 2016.
The matter continues before judge Eileen Rakow.
Eva Nangolo is representing the suspect, with Palmer Khumalo representing the state.
