"The four boys said in court they were playing a 'game' with the victim and in this game they had to penetrate him. They thought that the victim is giving them consent because he was taking part in the game."

Four teenage boys have been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for raping another boy, by the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Tuesday.

Regional spokesman Phaladi Shuping said the boys were sentenced on Monday.

"Magistrate Jan Greyvenstein sentenced the boys, aged between 13 and 15 years, for raping a 10-year-old boy in November 2011," he said in a statement.

The sentences were suspended for five years.

Greyvenstein said even though the victim impact assessment showed the boy was still traumatised as he was not doing well at school, the accused would not be given the minimum sentence. This was due to their age and because they had shown remorse, he said.

Shuping said the court heard that on the day of the crime, the boys walked to the soccer grounds for soccer practice. After practice the four took the 10-year-old to a secluded place and raped him.

"The four boys said in court they were playing a 'game' with the victim and in this game they had to penetrate him. They thought that the victim is giving them consent because he was taking part in the game."

Prosecutor Louis York said even if the victim gave consent, that consent could have not been legal because he was under 12 years.