Girl violently raped by man she met on MXit

By Jurina Nkwazi
9 August 2010

A 15-year-old girl was allegedly abducted, raped and drugged by a man she met on MXit.

The mother of the girl received a threatening SMS which read "Drop all charges... as it will have a serious impact on her future."

The man sent the disturbing SMS a week after the incident. This was only one of several that distressed family on Saturday.

The family expressed shocked that the man who had violated their daughter would contact them after meeting her on the social networking site, and then raping her in his home.

Police have confirmed they want to interview David Coughlan, 27, in connection with the incident. He is believed to be on the run.

They received threatening SMSes sent by the man they believe violated their daughter over the weekend.

The girl's parents had to rush her to a trauma counselor after receiving the SMSes.

"I have been advised my lawyers not 2 see anyone until they have lodged criminal proceedings against Mary* for false allegation, which is a form of fraud according 2 SA law,” was one of the messages he sent.

"Before I do so, I am giving Mary the opportunity to avoid that by being honest and coming clean."

The man gave her mother a deadline to phone him by 5pm on Saturday.

Her father is still not sure how he got hold of her mother’s number.

When the mother phoned at 5pm, she said he appeared shocked when she told him they weren't dropping the charges. The conversation was recorded.

The family later received three SMSes threatening them with legal action.

“I was raped last weekend after sneaking out of my parents' house to meet my MXit friend,” the 15 year old said.

He told her he would take her to his house on a smallholding in Crystal Park, Benoni.

The man allegedly placed a cloth over her face and drugged her as she sat at his computer. The girl told her parents that she woke up hours later to find that she was being raped. He again put a cloth over her face, and passed out until Sunday morning.

She managed to hide in the bathroom and send a "please-call-me" SMS to her mother.

When family and friends eventually found the house, they saw a white Toyota Tazz speeding away.

The girl was examined last Sunday by a medical examiner at the rape and trauma centre where her mother was told that her daughter had been violently raped.

Anyone who knows Coughlan's whereabouts should call the police on 10111.