Updated: Rape victim's mother forgives accused for 'mistakes'

The mother of a girl who was allegedly raped by her uncle told a court today that she had forgiven her brother for mistakes he had made, and said the whole case had destroyed her family.

Giving evidence about the case, which allegedly happened 10 years ago when her daughter was seven years old and the uncle was 17, the woman admitted that she was the one who had urged her daughter to withdraw her allegations, because the case was destroying the family.

The daughter had spoken out when she was 13 and had insisted with her mother that she was telling the truth, and unless her mother helped her, she would seek help at the Appogg agency.

The mother said she was completely unaware of what had been happening. She had noticed a few drops of blood on her daughter's underwear but a doctor had told her that it could be that the child was developing early.

The mother's parents had taken the matter very badly, the mother said, but her father (who is also the father of the accused) told her to file a police report and to speak to a lawyer.

Family tensions continued to grow, and the woman said she no longer went to her parents' house because the accused lived there. Now all ties had been broken.

The case continues.

The trial by jury started yesterday and is being presided by Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono.

Prosecutors yesterday told the court that the child used to be taken to the roof of her grandparents' house, where she was raped and threatened. She was also forced to have oral sex in a car in Hal Far.

Names have not been published by court order to protect the identity of the victim.

TRIAL SUSPENDED

Meanwhile, later this morning the trial was suspended after defence counsel Joe Mifsud said he wanted to appeal a decision taken by Mr Justice Galea Debono, who stopped him from asking a particular question. The judge decided to stop the question after hearing objections by the prosecution.

Names have not been published by court order to protect the identity of the victim.

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20091103/local/raped-niece-7-four-times