Rustenburg – A traditional healer accused of rape appeared in the Mahikeng Regional Court, North West police said on Wednesday.
Police spokesperson Major Pelonomi Makau said Lucky Gumbi, 29, from KwaZulu-Natal and who was practicing as a traditional healer in Ramatlabama near Mahikeng, appeared in court on Tuesday.
The case was postponed to June 9, as one of the witnesses did not report in court.
“The accused, who is a traditional healer, allegedly raped two 17-year-old victims, who are reported to be cousins, from Letlhakane village between December 2013 and January 2014 respectively. According to the information, the traditional healer visited Letlhakane village and met with the cousins and informed them that they were bewitched and needed treatment,” said Makau.
In response to this, the victim and her cousin visited the traditional healer in December 2013 for medical consultation. During the consultation the suspect allegedly raped the one victim. The victim, said Pelonomi, returned home and did not report the matter to anyone.
Pelonomi said on January 6, 2014, Gumbi allegedly lured the other girl to his house. “It is alleged that a cousin to the first victim and other girls also visited the suspect for medical treatment, and on the same day when the other girls were sitting outside, one of the girls was inside the house for an alleged treatment and she was allegedly raped.”
The girl, said Pelonomi, reported the ordeal to her mother, who then reported the matter to the police. “The first victim on realising that the second victim reported the matter to the police, also informed her family,” she said. “The suspect was arrested at his place.”
ANA