- The mother was arrested after a 65-year-old man was killed when caught raping her disabled daughter.
- Hundreds of supporters, including top officials, welcomed the news that she won’t face murder charges.
The mother who was arrested after a man died when she caught him raping her disabled daughter will not be prosecuted.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Eastern Cape has dropped the murder charge against the 44-year-old woman.
On 5 April, the mother walked in on a 65-year-old man raping her daughter, who is disabled. He had taken the girl to his house while the mother was away in town.
She reportedly hit the man with a chair to stop the attack. Community members then arrived and attacked the man, who later died.
Eastern Cape Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta and others called for the charges to be dropped. Hundreds of people, including Premier Oscar Mabuyane, gathered outside the court to support the mother when the decision was announced.
Fanta said she was relieved by the NPA’s decision: “When a mother witnesses her child being victimised in such a horrific manner, it is only natural that her protective instincts would take over.”
NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali confirmed the case has been withdrawn: “The matter has been withdrawn after careful consideration by the Director of Public Prosecutions. It has been referred for further investigations and an inquest.”
The case is similar to that of the woman who was dubbed “Lion Mama” in 2017 after killing one of three men who were raping her daughter. That case was also withdrawn by the NPA.
Pictured above: Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Social Development MEC Bukiwe Fanta at the court appearance of a woman accused of killing her disabled daughter’s rapist.
Image source: EC Social Development
