By REGINALD KANYANE
3 November 2025- A man (22) was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Kimberley Regional Court for rape and robbery. The police said the incident occurred on 8 August 2020 at approximately 2:10am, when the victim (20) was attacked by an unknown man, while walking home alone.
The Northern Cape police spokesperson, Sergeant Molefi Shemane said the accused, Lebogang Joseph Van Wyk dragged the victim behind the Kimberley Correctional Services premises, where he demanded her cell phone and took her handbag. Shemane said Van Wyk then sexually assaulted her before fleeing the scene.
“The traumatised victim immediately reported the incident at the Kimberley Correctional Services control room, after which the police were notified. She was taken to hospital for a medical examination. The following day on 9 August 2020, the victim accompanied police to the crime scene, where her cell phone was recovered.
“Subsequent forensic investigations positively linked the accused to the crime scene, leading to his arrest on 19 January 2021. Bail was successfully opposed and he remained in custody until the finalisation of the case,” he said.
Shemane further said on 30 October 2025, the Kimberley Regional Court convicted and sentenced Van Wyk to life imprisonment for rape and 15 years imprisonment for common robbery. He added that the accused was further declared unfit to possess a firearm, and his name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders,” said Shemane.
Meanwhile, the Northern Cape Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, commended Detective Sergeant Shaun Boer of the Kimberley Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, as well as state prosecutor, advocate Shareen Links, for their dedication and teamwork that ensured justice for the victim. Otola reaffirmed the SAPS’s commitment to eradicating Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and urged community members to prioritise their personal safety.
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