Maria Amakali
Windhoek
Windhoek resident Gert Renton, 39, accused of sexually violating his then 15-year-old niece is due to hear his fate soon after court submissions into his case were concluded.
Renton, who is out on bail, has taken a not guilty plea to the charge of rape, stating that every single detail mentioned by the complainant, which led to the charge he is facing, never occurred and that there were hidden motives behind the accusations he faces.
The prosecution alleges he intentionally sexually violated his 15-year-old relative on October 4, 2009 by applying force and threatening the victim.
According to the mother of the victim, as they do not reside in the same house her daughter called her to inform her of what had happened to her, while she was in Renton’s presence alone.
She said her sister, who is married to Renton, did nothing after being informed of what her husband did to the teen.
During her testimony the victim explained that Renton, who is married to her aunt, took her to town on the pretence they were going to meet a work acquaintance. Renton instead drove to Klein Windhoek, as he wanted to show the 15-year-old the ‘Lover’s Hill.’
Upon arrival at the location Renton parked the car and started enquiring if the victim was in a relationship before he started touching her inappropriately, which caused her to start crying.
“He told me that I should stop crying, as it will seem to others that he wanted to rape me,” explained the 15-year-old.
According to the victim, they left the hill and Renton went to park the car under a bridge, where he continued touching her. Following a failed attempt to run away, Renton caught up with her, dragged her to the car and sexually violated her, it is alleged.
Following the alleged rape, Renton allegedly took the teen back to his home and made as if nothing had happened when they were met by his wife. Magistrate Alexis Diergaardt is expected to deliver judgment in the case on September 11.