Guilty of repeatedly raping an 11-year-old

A RANDFONTEIN man was yesterday sentenced to life for the rape of a minor.

Floyd Sentsho, 38, of Mohlakeng township, was found guilty on three counts of rape. Sentsho was found guilty of repeatedly raping an 11-year-old between June and July of 2010.

Magistrate Ettienne van Niekerk told Sentsho, who is HIV positive, before a packed Randfontein Regional Court, that he was sentencing him based purely on facts.

"I can crush you. I can destroy you. But I won't do that because I am only looking at the facts," Van Niekerk said.

Sentsho showed no emotion when the sentence was handed down. Incredibly, he still maintained his innocence.

"Even after convicting you, you have shown no remorse. I can only imagine what the children must be going through. Rape is a very serious offence," he said.

"An adult would perhaps have financial support and would be able to deal with it, but a child ...," he sighed, while shaking his head.

Sentsho still has to stand trial on a charge of raping a 9-year-old girl.

Both complainants stay on the same street with him.

He appeared weak and told the magistrate that both his legs and knees were painful and had swollen up.

Given the stigma normally attached to people with HIV, Van Niekerk said the children's lives had been destroyed.

"You have basically given them a death sentence. Because of the stigma, imagine a parent having to explain to her child why her friends will not play with her," he said.

Sentsho has a previous rape conviction back in 1994 and served three years for it. He is said to have used the same modus operandi when raping the children.

"The accused would call them over to go buy him cigarettes. He would tie them down and rape them in the vagina and anal area," Van Niekerk said.

It was not quite clear whether Sentsho would appeal, but Van Niekerk gave him a stern warning.

"I have convicted people before and they appealed, but they still lost."