Man caught by girls raping their friend sentenced to life imprisonment

A man caught by girls raping their nine-year-old friend was sentenced in the Phokeng magistrate’s court to life imprisonment on Monday.

On February 2 2022, a girl was playing with friends in the 26-year-old man's yard in Lethabong when he called her into his room and raped her,  National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Henry Mamothame said.

Evidence in court revealed the girl’s friends became worried when she did not return from the house.

“They went to peep through the window. They saw [him] on top of the girl and went to report the matter to her mother,” Mamothame said.

The mother opened a case with the police and he was arrested the same day. He pleaded guilty to the rape, Mamothame said.

“In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Obed Molope urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment as the offence was committed by a person who should be protecting his family environment, particularly in a time when women and children are facing high levels of abuse,” he said.

When handing down the sentence, magistrate Segakweng Moeng said the man was a father figure who abused his authority by raping a defenceless girl who was not suspicious of his intentions.

North West director of public prosecutions Rachel Makhari applauded the investigating officer, prosecutor and the girls for their bravery in leading to the conviction.

“We cannot allow such heinous crimes to destroy the lives of innocent and vulnerable children of society, thus this conviction is welcomed,” said Makhari.

TimesLIVE