Man arrested after 15-year-old reports rape to sheriff’s office
Published at
AMERICAN FALLS — A 26-year-old man was arrested after a 15-year-old girl told law enforcement that a family friend had raped her.
Zevane Donovan Du Toit is charged with one count of felony rape.
The Power County Sheriff’s Office declined to release Du Toit’s mugshot when requested by EastIdahoNews.com. Du Toit’s mugshot is the only image not appearing on the Power County Jail roster website.
We have submitted a public records request to the sheriff’s office to obtain the picture and will update when we hear back.
According to court documents, on Aug. 22, a woman and her 15-year-old relative went to the Power County Sheriff’s Office and reported that the minor had been raped.
The victim told deputies said identified her rapist as Du Toit, who was a family friend.
During an interview with deputies, the victim said she was raped in her home during the early morning hours of Aug. 16.
She said Du Toit is from South Africa and is in Idaho as a part of the H2-A visa program to work for a local farm.
The victim says she declined to have sex with Du Toit and asked him to stop multiple times during the assault, but he did not.
Du Toit had been communicating with her on Snapchat, but she said she blocked him after the rape.
Deputies collected evidence from the assault at the victim’s home and scheduled an interview for the victim at Bright Tomorrow’s Child Advocacy Center in Pocatello.
During the interview, the girl stated she was there because “someone did something to her she didn’t want.”
According to the victim, one day, she gave a ride home to Du Toit and another person, and Du Toit “kept placing his hand on her thigh.” She stated she removed his hand three times and “every time, he would laugh.”
The day of the alleged rape, she said, Du Toit messaged her on Snapchat and asked her if he could come over when her parents were not home, and she responded no.
She later heard a knock on the door, and Du Toit had come to her house. According to the victim, she felt “uncomfortable” so she went to a different room in the house, but Du Toit followed her, and allegedly raped her.
After the assault, Du Toit reportedly “begged (the victim) not to tell anyone as it would be bad for him,” according to police reports.
Court documents do not detail police interviews with Du Toit but say a search warrant was granted for his physical person.
Du Toit is scheduled to be arraigned in District Court on Sept. 27. If convicted, Du Toit could face up to life in prison.
Though Du Toit has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.