Ntsoaki Motaung
43-year-old Mathethebala Pitso, of Belabela in the Berea district appeared before the Leribe Magistrate earlier this week charged with sexually assaulting a teenager who was his learner.
The former English teacher at Butha-Buthe High School has a case to answer after being fingered for allegedly fingering and fondling a 17-year-old who was his student last year.
The suspected pedophile faces charges of sexual assault and was dragged to court where he was read charges for contravening section 5 (8) read together with section 32 of the Sexual Offences Act.
Magistrate Senthebane Moerane indicated that the suspect is accused for the unlawful sex act on a minor by coercible inserting his fingers in her vagina without her approval while also abusing his powers as a teacher to manipulate the girl as well as forcing her to engage into sexual intercourse with him.
Following the alleged sexual act, Pitso is reported to have resigned from his previous employer after the matter exacerbated and got hired at the Likileng English Medium School.
After being read the charge, Pitso was permitted a bail of M800 on condition that the latter reports himself for remand penned for August 1, 2022 and should not interfere with witnesses or the applicant.
While motivating his application for bail, Pitso’s legal representative indicated that he will avail himself whenever the investigating officers demand assistance from him and will not disappear.
In an interview with this publication, the young alleged victim said she was discontented that the court released the alleged rapist on bail.
“I am not happy he has been granted bail,†she said.
“I was made aware that my grounds for him not be released on bail are not strong. I was told he would not be released if I’d said that he had kept threatening me or if he did not show up whenever he is needed to report at the police station to help with investigations,†she said.
However, she indicated that she is happy that there is at last progress with her case after being snail-pacing for a long time since last October.
The matter continues before Magistrate Moerane with the next date set at the first day of next month for the suspect’s remand.
