Former South African and international boxing champion Thabo Sonjica has pleaded not guilty to a charge of rape.
Sonjica is accused of forcing a young woman into a shack and violating her on February 12 last year.
The complainant, whose identity is protected, yesterday testified before East London regional magistrate Ignatius Kitching in a closed court. Everyone except court officials left until she was done.
Nombulelo Ntshebe, a neighbour, yesterday testified that she was watching TV in her Duncan Village home when she heard the complainant scream.
“I heard loud continuous screams. I listened from which direction the screams were coming and I heard it was from the shack behind mine,” she said.
The woman said she then walked outside to check what was happening, which was when she saw the complainant coming out of the shack with Sonjica at her heels.
“I thought it was a quarrel between a boyfriend and girlfriend. I later heard from the complainant’s sister that they were not in a relationship,” she told the court.
Saliswa Ngqangweni, a clinical forensic nurse, said she examined the complainant and asked for a verbal report.
“She told me the accused evacuated two young men from the shack when she was dragged in. She said she was disappointed in the accused because he was a prominent person in the community and she thought he would provide protection,” she said.
Ngqangweni said upon examination, she found there was swelling in the complainant’s vagina.
She added that her findings were consistent with fresh penetration.
Bonginkosi Mafa appears for the state while David Butler appears for Sonjica. The trial resumes today. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
DV boxer’s rape trial begins
Sonjica is accused of forcing a young woman into a shack and violating her on February 12 last year.
The complainant, whose identity is protected, yesterday testified before East London regional magistrate Ignatius Kitching in a closed court. Everyone except court officials left until she was done.
Nombulelo Ntshebe, a neighbour, yesterday testified that she was watching TV in her Duncan Village home when she heard the complainant scream.
“I heard loud continuous screams. I listened from which direction the screams were coming and I heard it was from the shack behind mine,” she said.
The woman said she then walked outside to check what was happening, which was when she saw the complainant coming out of the shack with Sonjica at her heels.
“I thought it was a quarrel between a boyfriend and girlfriend. I later heard from the complainant’s sister that they were not in a relationship,” she told the court.
Saliswa Ngqangweni, a clinical forensic nurse, said she examined the complainant and asked for a verbal report.
“She told me the accused evacuated two young men from the shack when she was dragged in. She said she was disappointed in the accused because he was a prominent person in the community and she thought he would provide protection,” she said.
Ngqangweni said upon examination, she found there was swelling in the complainant’s vagina.
She added that her findings were consistent with fresh penetration.
Bonginkosi Mafa appears for the state while David Butler appears for Sonjica. The trial resumes today. — siyab@dispatch.co.za
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