‘It was only a game’ – child sex accused

A man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl has told a Mpumalanga magistrate that he merely put his penis on the girl’s genitals while they played husband and wife.

“I only played with the six-year-old girl at my shack in Bhuga Trust. I was only playing with her as husband and her as my wife,” the 60-year-old, from Bhuga Trust near White River, told the Nelspruit Regional Court on Tuesday.

He cannot be named to protect the girl’s identity.

“I never did anything but only rubbed my private part on her private parts. It was only a game,” he said.

He was arrested in July after his family laid charges against him for sexually assaulting two girls, the six-year-old and a two-year-old. The six-year-old told her family what happened.
He said he is from Mozambique and had been in the country for three years.

He told Magistrate Vanessa Joubert that he knew nothing about the two-year-old girl.

Joubert asked him if it was permitted in Mozambique for elderly people to rub their genitals against children.

“It is regarded as an offence. I also know that it is wrong and punishable by law,” he said.

“But we were just playing a game with the child. I never meant to do anything further to her. She is related to my wife’s family,” he said.

Joubert told him he faced a sentence of life imprisonment if found guilty of sexually assaulting a minor.

“I plead guilty. It would be up to the court to decide for my fate on the matter. There is nothing that I can do to stop you,” he told her.

She ordered that he be taken for mental observation before proceeding with his trial. He replied he was not mentally sick.

“I have never been treated for a mental illness before. I was only treated for a stomach ache. I was only given pills,” he said.
Joubert ordered that he remain in custody until his next appearance. – News24