By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
20 September 2024– A man (33) was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by the Bafokeng Regional Court for kidnapping and rape. In the morning of Saturday, 26 November 2022, a girl (2), was playing in the street with friends at Mogono Section, in Luka village, when the accused frightened the children and they scattered into different directions.
The North West police spokesperson, Colonel Adéle Myburgh said he caught the toddler and took her with him. Myburgh said after a while, her parents and neighbours started looking for her.
“They 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.
“He made a series of court appearances until he was found guilty and sentenced. The accused convicted for kidnapping and rape,” she said.
Myburgh further said the accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No. 60 of 2000). She added that, the court further ordered that the accused’s name be entered into the Register for Child Offenders.
Myburgh said the parents are reminded to always know where their children are and to ensure that they (children) play under the watchful eye of responsible adults.
Meanwhile, the North West Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena and the Director for Public Prosecution, Dr Rachel Makhari, welcomed the sentence and applauded the Investigating Officer, Warrant Officer Christopher Maimela of Rustenburg Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit and the Prosecutor, Advocate Zola Mpayipheli, for their teamwork and being equal to the task of ensuring that the accused is convicted.
The Guardian 