A 33-year-old rapist was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Bafokeng Regional Court in North West after he was convicted for kidnapping and raping a two-year-old toddler.
The rapist was further declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of the Firearms Control Act, according to North West provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Adéle Myburgh.
The court further ordered that the 33-year-old man’s name, which is withheld to protect the abused minor, be entered into the register for child offenders.
“Evidence led in court indicated that in the morning on Saturday, November 26, 2022, the two-year-old girl was playing in the street with friends at Mogono Section, in Luka Village. The accused then frightened the children who scattered into different directions,” said Myburgh.
As the frightened children scattered, the rapist caught the toddler and took her with him.
“After a while, her parents and neighbours started looking for her and discovered her naked in the convict’s bath tub. The child was immediately removed and taken to the police, who arrested the accused shortly after the incident was reported,” said Myburgh.
The accused man made a series of court appearances until he was found guilty and sentenced.
Meanwhile, North West provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena and the Director for Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari, have welcomed the sentence and applauded the investigating officer, Warrant Officer Christopher Maimela of the Rustenburg family violence, child protection and sexual offences (FCS) unit, and the prosecutor, advocate Zola Mpayipheli for their teamwork which ensured the conviction.
Authorities have appealed to parents to always know where their children are, and to ensure that children play under the watchful eye of responsible adults.
IOL