Mother tells of daughters' rape

Pretoria - A rape victim started weeping when she testified in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday about a sexual assault on her two teenaged daughters.

The woman, 37, testified that her two daughters had told her they were sexually molested and kissed by two men who were part of a gang which forced their way into the family's home in Rayton in the east of Pretoria three years ago.

Zimbabwean cousins Progress Shoko, 28, and Howard Sekani, 31, have pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbery with aggravating circumstances, three charges of rape and three of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.

The State alleges the two had been part of a gang which forced their way into the Rayton family's home on the evening of 12 March 2011, raped and assaulted a woman and her two daughters, then aged 15 and 17, and robbed them of goods worth R62 860.

The loot included three cellphones, two laptops, other electronic goods, jewellery and one girl's school shoes and bag.

The woman testified on Tuesday that Shoko had raped her while Sekani remained behind with her two daughters.

The trial had to adjourn early when she became too emotional to carry on with her evidence.

On Wednesday she told the court Shoko had taken her back to her daughters, who lay tied up in the lounge, where he and Sekani became aggressive when they could not get the money, cigarettes and alcohol they demanded.

Shoko also took her to her car, demanding that she start the vehicle and gave her a black eye when he could not understand that the Mercedes Benz used an infrared key to start.

He took her back inside where he tied her up again and made her lie down on the floor next to her daughters.

Escaping

One of the children had blood running down her face after being punched on the nose and the other's face was red from crying.

"They told my children they were going to take me with them and they must pray and hope they see me again," she said.

Shoko threatened to sexually violate her with a hairbrush and threatened to burn her with a cigarette unless she told them where the safe was, while Sekani sat there smoking a cigarette.

The women managed to free themselves and activate the alarm when their attackers had left and the house became quiet.

The mother testified in tears that her daughters had told her they were sexually violated as well by Shoko, who also punched and kicked them, and that Sekani had kissed them.

Her daughters said the accused had threatened to burn them with a clothes iron.

To questions by Shoko's advocate, the woman said she had been terrified, but insisted she had watched Shoko while he raped her and recognised his face.

Shoko denied being at her house that day or raping her.

The trial continues.