Emotions ran high as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, queer, intersex and other (LGBTQIA+) community, with various other organisations, vented their displeasure outside the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court on Friday 15 September.
They protested against the release of a man accused of raping a 17-year-old girl.
Earlier that day, disgruntled protesters handed a memorandum demanding the rearrest of the suspect over to Harare police.
The alleged incident occurred on Sunday 3 September, in Harare, Khayelitsha. It is alleged the accused, who was released by the Khayelitsha Magistrates’ Court on Monday 11 September, raped the youth after buying her and his two nieces alcohol.
Speaking on behalf of the LGBTQIA+, Siphokazi October, who organised the protest, stated the community wanted justice to be served for the victim. She said the LGBTQIA+ community believes the girl was raped because of her sexual orientation, and they vowed to continue their demonstration until the suspect was behind bars.
According to October, the accused had been regarded more like a father figure to the victim, who spent most of her time at the house with his two nieces. At the time of the incident, the man’s wife, a traditional healer, was in the Eastern Cape.
“According to information we received from [the victim] and the two other girls, the suspect’s nieces, he had bought them alcohol on Sunday to drink,” October related, and that the incident occurred in the evening while the girl was asleep on a couch.
She claimed the suspect had come from his room naked, went to the dining room where the girl was sleeping and he raped her.
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