Siqokoqela Mphoko acquitted of rape as High Court overturns 20 year prison sentence

THE son of former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, Siqokoqela, who had been convicted and sentenced to 20-years in jail for rape, has been acquitted of all charges by two the High Court judges in Bulawayo.

Siqokoqela was initially convicted and sentenced to an effective 20 years in jail in 2023 by Bulawayo regional magistrate Elijah Singano for allegedly raping his niece and escaping from lawful custody.

However, following an appeal, High Court Judges, Justice Bongani Ndlovu and Justice Munamato Mutevedzi overturned the previous conviction.

In their ruling, the judges highlighted various inconsistencies in the case, stating that the original conviction lacked reliability.

They pointed out that the allegations against Siqokoqela were primarily influenced by threats made by the alleged victim’s mother and raised concerns about the credibility of the claims due to delays in reporting the alleged crime.

While Siqokoqela’s conviction for escaping lawful custody was upheld, he was given a reduced two-month prison sentence for that charge.

More to follow…