By BAKANG MOKOTO
A man (32) who cannot be named to protect the victims has been sentenced to two life terms by the Postmasburg Regional Court raping two girls aged 7 and girl 8. The accused was staying with the victims, as well as their mother in Danielskuil, in the Northern Cape.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Northern Cape, Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the state’s case emanates from an incident one night in 2018. Senokoatsane said the mother of the two victims left the accused with the victims as she went looking for the elder brother of the two victims, who had allegedly been stabbed.
“Taking advantage of the situation, the accused went to their mother’s bedroom, where the two victims were sleeping and began to rape them. The children reported the incident to their aunt, who immediately informed the mother of their victims.
“The matter was then reported to the police. The accused was arrested and charged with two counts of rape. During the trial, the children were able to point the accused in court. They further demonstrated the way the accused had covered their mouth with his hand when they cried,” he said.
Senokoatsane further said the children also detailed the pain they felt when he was raping them. He added that these testimonies by the victims became overwhelming evidence against the accused person.
“After the state closed its case, the defence also closed its case without calling the accused to testify. The Court Preparation Officer, Kelebogile Mokgotsi assisted the court with the Witness Impact Statement of the two victims, which played a major role in this matter.
“In aggravation of sentence, the Regional Court Prosecutor Moloi Kenneth Motsatse, argued that the accused person used his power and position of trust to exploit the victims. The accused person showed no remorse,” said Senokoatsane.
He said Motsatse further argued that the court should not deviate from the prescribed sentence for such heinous crimes considering that the victims are minor children. Senokoatsane said the accused should be sentenced to life imprisonment for count one of rape and life imprisonment for count two of rape.
“In sentencing, the court was satisfied with the evidence adduced by the state witnesses including the medical evidence that the injuries sustained by the two victims were consistent with penetration.
“The court sentenced the accused person to two life imprisonment. The court ordered that his name be included in the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO). The accused was also declared unfit to work with children. The accused was furthermore declared unfit to possess a firearm,” he said.
He said the NPA envisages that these sentences will provide some justice and closure to the victims, as well as their families as the perpetrators of these violent crimes are removed from the communities.
The Guardian 