Johannesburg - The Potchefstroom Regional Court has sentenced a 22-year-old man to 18 years’ imprisonment for raping a 14-year-old girl in Ikageng, near Potchefstroom, back in 2019.
The complete sentence that was handed to the accused on Tuesday, September 13, was 20 years’ imprisonment, of which two years were suspended for a period of five years on condition that the accused is not convicted of rape or any sexual offence during that period.
According to police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Amanda Funani, the 22-year-old accused was arrested and charged with rape after the incident was reported at Ikageng police station.
Funani said, “The accused’s name will be included into the National Child Protection Register according to the Children's Act, 2005 (Act No 38 of 2005).”
“Moreover, he was declared unfit to possess firearms in terms of the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No 60 of 2000).”
The provincial commissioner of the North West, Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, congratulated Sergeant Jacob Ranoko of the Potchefstroom Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, who worked hard on the case with other role players. He said that this case will serve as an indication that the rule of law has no deadline.
Kwena has also welcomed the sentence.
IOL