Police detained one Soweto man (South Africa) for allegedly raping his neighbour’s 11-month-old puppy, and he has been sentenced to eight years behind bars by the Roodepoort magistrate’s court.
They found Mojalesa Mofokeng guilty of brutality.
Criminal charges were also charged against him by the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA), with a guilty judgment delivered on April 28.
The team NSPCA “which works for animal welfare, celebrated the sentence”, saying, “this was the highest direct detention sentence ever charged for animal cruelty in Africa and would set a precedent nationwide.
According to the NSPCA, in the early hours of November 21 2020, a citizen living on a property in Soweto caught the man naked and precariously positioned in Moana’s kennel.
“We caught him when his pants were literally down; members of our community captured him,” said the NSPCA.
The family dog was found harshly violated and required immediate veterinary attention.
“The dog was taken to the NSPCA’s veterinarian for an emergency examination and treatment. Dr Bryce Marock assured that the dog was inhumanely secured and demonstrated injuries consistent with rape,” the NSPCA said.
The court granted bail to Mofokeng after his arrest, but he violated the conditions of bail by failing to appear before the court and was rearrested.
“Brutality is a serious matter in our country. It is a shameful crime that is swept under carpets to protect perpetrators — forgetting that brutality usually progresses to the abuse of children and eventually other adults later,” NSPCA executive director Marcelle Meredith said.
Winning the case was of great significance.
“We hope that other cases like this of brutality being heard across the country will follow the case as a precedent has been set, and animal rapists have been thoroughly warned of the consequences. Communities are urged to report brutality. Together we can bring this evil to its knees.”
According to Magistrate, a difference should not be taken between the rape of an animal and that of a human. He stated that it’s a court’s duty to protect the rights of animals and should impose appropriate sentences in order to avoid the community taking matters into their own hands.
Moana has made a full physical recovery under the observation of the NSPCA. She has been spayed, vaccinated, microchipped and dewormed.
NSPCA states that it will be going to support and assist Moana and her human family as they are all targets of this crime.
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