The rape trial of soccer ace Benedict Vilakazi has been postponed to March 15 for closing arguments, the South African Broadcasting Corporation reported on Wednesday.
A domestic worker, employed by the complainant’s family, was the final witness to testify on Wednesday afternoon. She was present at the time of the alleged rape.
The domestic worker said the complainant seemed to be cheerful after the sexual encounter in January last year. She also said that Vilakazi and the victim watched a video together after the alleged rape.
Earlier, a close friend of the 15-year-old complainant also testified on the relationship between Vilakazi and the complainant.
Her testimony appears to support the soccer star’s testimony that he had a secret love affair with the complainant.
Vilakazi and his alleged rape victim secretly met at least once before the rape occurred, the friend of the girl told the court.
The 17-year-old witness, dressed in her school uniform, testified in camera on the exact nature of the relationship between Vilakazi and the alleged victim.
She had Vilakazi’s contact numbers and gave them to her 15-year-old friend, the court heard.
It is common cause that the exchange of phone numbers was the start of the relationship between Vilakazi and the complainant.
The soccer player maintains he had a secret relationship with the girl, but the friend testified that she knew of only one clandestine meeting between the two before the alleged rape.
She also told the court she was shocked to learn that Vilakazi had had sex with her underaged friend. — Sapa