A church youth leader has appeared in court charged with raping a young congregant.
|||Durban - A church youth leader has appeared in court charged with raping a young congregant.
The man, 24, pleaded not guilty to the charge, in the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court on Tuesday.
The State alleges that the youth leader at a Northdale church, raped the 13-year-old girl on August 29, 2011, after luring her to a secluded area near Woodlands High School.
The girl reported the rape in January last year.
Clinical psychologist, Jill Willows, who counselled the girl after she disclosed the rape, testified for the State.
Willows said the girl had not come forward sooner because she felt nobody would believe her over the accused, who was a respected youth leader in the community, and she also had a sense of guilt.
“She was not sure whether she had done the right thing and felt a sense of guilt and responsibility for what had happened to her,” Willows said.
Willows said that in her discussions with the girl, she revealed that the accused had been like a big brother and spiritual adviser to her.
However, towards the end of the girl’s Grade 7 year, he had asked for her “Mxit” number and they began chatting via the social network.
The girl revealed that he had sent her messages that made her feel uncomfortable, commenting on how sexy she had looked at church and then he eventually sent her a naked picture.
The girl reported his conduct on Mxit to another youth leader, but nothing came of it.
The case has been adjourned to April 30 for further evidence.
Daily News
