Malalane - A Mpumalanga magistrate has advised a man who allegedly raped an eight-year-old girl to ask his ancestors to get him a new legal representative after he dropped his Legal Aid lawyer.
The accused, Mandla Shoti Lubisi, 31, from Langeloop village south of Malalane, appeared in the Tonga Magistrate's Court on a rape charge on Tuesday, a Sapa correspondent reported.
He was arrested on September 2, 2012, after the mother of the victim, who is now 10, reported that Lubisi raped her daughter in their house while she was asleep.
He has pleaded not guilty to the rape charge and is out on R1000 bail.
“You must pray that you get a new legal representative as you have told the court that you had a problem with the current one,” said magistrate Rudolf Smith.
“Please my boy, make sure that when you appear in court next month your God or ancestors have answered you to have a lawyer.”
Smith warned that Lubisi's bid to represent himself would land him in trouble.
The case was postponed to April 1 for further investigation.
Sapa