TONGA – The Cluster Commander of Tonga, Brig Lizzy Mtungwa, has welcomed the life time sentence imposed on Mlindeli Lubisi (26) of Langeloop for having raped a seven-year-old girl in 2012.
Magistrate Mr Edgar Moletsane found Lubisi guilty on a charge of rape yesterday and consequently sentenced him to 25 years imprisonment.
According to the victim it was in the morning of August 14, 2012, when Lubisi came across school children who were on their way to school. Lubisi grabbed one of the girls, who was only seven years old by then. He assaulted her while dragging her to the nearby bushes where he forcefully raped her.
The victim was brave enough to report the incident immediately afterwards. The community of Langeloop gathered and man-hunted the suspect until they found him. Lubisi was arrested and a case of rape opened against him.
According to police spokesman Lt Mzwandile Nyambi, this was not the first time Lubisi had attempted this. “On June 12 that year, he tried to rape another girl of only seven years of age, but he was interrupted by the victim’s mother when she caught him trying to force himself onto the child. A case of rape was opened against him, but the charge was later changed to that of sexual assault.”
Mtungwa congratulated Detective Const Charlotte Masilela, who worked tirelessly investigating the case, trying to make sure that justice is served. She also thanked the community of Langeloop who helped apprehending Lubisi and handed him to the police without taking the law into their own hands.
