By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
14 September 2026 – A man (43) was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment by the Zeerust Regional Court for rape. This comes after the accused, Amogelang Motsiane raped the niece of his girlfriend.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Lindiwe Mabasa said the incident occurred on 28 April 2020, when the victim’s aunt left her in the care of Motsiane, while she went shopping. Mabasa said during the aunt’s absence, Motsiane sexually violated and raped the child.
“The victim later confided in her cousin and disclosed what had happened to her. The matter was subsequently reported to her aunt upon her return. When confronted about the allegations, Motsiane assaulted the victim for disclosing the abuse.
“A criminal case was subsequently opened, and Motsiane was arrested. He remained in custody throughout the proceedings until the finalisation of the matter,” she said.
During sentencing proceedings, the state prosecutor, Kagiso Modibedi urged the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. While acknowledging the seriousness of the offence, the court found that substantial and compelling circumstances existed to justify a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence and ultimately sentenced Motsiane to 30 years imprisonment.
Mabasa further said the NPA remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting children and other vulnerable members of society and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual offences are held accountable. She added that through continued expansion of Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) across the country, victims of sexual offences have access to victim-centred, multidisciplinary services aimed at restoring dignity, promoting recovery and supporting access to justice.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, welcomed the sentence, describing it as a strong affirmation of the criminal justice system’s commitment to protecting children. Makhari said the NPA will continue to pursue justice without fear, favour or prejudice and ensure that those who prey on vulnerable children are held accountable for their actions.
“Children deserve to be protected and the criminal justice system must send a clear message that sexual offences against them will not be tolerated,” she said.
The Guardian 