Pali rape saga continues

The case of multi-platinum selling artist, Sechaba Pali, who allegedly raped a 15-year-old minor from Welkom, has caused a lot of controversy.

The 15-year-old girl who fell pregnant with Pali’s child last year, was this week ridiculed by the artist’s fans at Tweespruit Periodical Magistrate’s Court where he was granted R6 000 bail.

“She is lying, she consented to the sex and now she wants to cry rape,” contested Florah Mahlodi, one of Pali’s supporters who had thronged the court premises to support the musician.

“We will support you, we love you. Don’t worry about the devil trying to destroy you”, shouted Betty Motsoene, as Pali alighted from a police van, which carried him from Bloemfontein Correctional Centre where he spent a couple of nights in the holding cells.

Rumours have been making the rounds that Pali and the 15-year-old were in a steady relationship for almost two years. It is even alleged that Pali’s wife knew about the relationship and tried on numerous occasions to warn the girl to stay away from her husband. It is alleged that when Pali finally dumped the girl and went to his wife, she and her family decided to cry rape.

“I have been living next door to this family for years now. When their daughter and the gospel star started to get serious, instead of trying to break it off, the mother of the minor went around the neighbourhood bragging about the relationship.

“She encouraged it and loved the attention that went with it. But when things no longer went their way, they wanted him to pay and have the whole world know about the scandal,” claimed Julia Motseki, a resident of Reitzpark.

She said the family of the alleged victim was after the gospel star’s money.

“I believe that the girl’s family’s motive is to extort money from Sechaba. I love his music and he sings well. He has dignity and the child should have asked for money instead of rushing to the police,” she added.

The crowd, which gathered outside the court building waiting to catch a glimpse of the singer, ululated and shouted unprintable pejoratives against the minor. Some of them even prayed intermittently for Pali to get bail.

Their prayers were answered when the magistrate granted him bail against investigating officer Tshepo Olebile’s wishes.

In his bail application Pali, who was represented by lawyer Eugene Willard, said he was married and supported eight kids.

He also said he was helping his mother financially to run an orphanage in the Free State.

Pali said he would not skip the country and even volunteered to surrender his passport.

He said he would not plead guilty to the charge of statutory rape and argued that the victim had told him she was 17 when they met.

Department of women, children and people with disabilities spokesperson, Cornelius Monama, said the attitude of this section of the community towards the alleged victim of statutory rape is an
embarrassment and a disgrace to society.

“It is unacceptable for any citizen to hurl insults at alleged rape victims. This will undermine the war against rape because victims and witnesses will be intimidated from breaking the silence.”

Meanwhile, in between spending nights in jail and having to plead his case in front of a judge, the gospel music star has released a brand new album.

On March 18 it was announced that the singer will release his much-anticipated album, ‘Holokile Holokile.

The album includes 14 brand new compositions with the first single ‘Hallelujah’ featuring Sipho Makhabane (who also co-wrote the song). The track is an up-tempo spiritual song where the singer sings about praising and worshiping the Lord.

He also added a mid-tempo spiritual worship and praise ballad ‘Madi’ (‘The Blood’) in the album. -Additional information from Sowetan