Former Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department Superintendent Adam Cummings (55) and co-accused Tebogo Maregele (23) were sentenced to life imprisonment yesterday at the High Court in Johannesburg.
They stood trial from June 2018 on several counts of rape, sexual exploitation of children, child trafficking for sexual purposes and kidnapping.
Cummings was found guilty on three counts of rape and one of human trafficking, while Maregele was convicted as an accomplice to the rape of a nine-year-old and two counts of exploitation of children for financial gain.
According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Cummings paid Maregele to lure young girls from Soweto, aged betwen 9 and 16.
It is alleged that from 2010 to 2015, Cummings would visit Soweto with the help of Tebogo Meregele. Tebogo would take children from the ages of 9 to 16 and introduce them to Cummings.
They would then drive with them to Soweto cemetery after buying them KFC takeaways. On arrival at the cemetery, Cummings would show them his police badge and firearm, threatening them not to tell anyone. He would thereafter rape them and give them KFC afterwards.
IPID Spokesperson, Grace Langa, said it is alleged that between 2010 and 2015, Cummings instructed Maregele to recruit minor children around Soweto for sex in exchange for cash and food.
They were both found guilty on 20 May 2019 at the High Court in Johannesburg. Cummings was found guilty of raping two girls in 2015, who were 9 and 15 years old at the time. He was found guilty on a count of human trafficking, for luring the unsuspecting children on false pretences. Maregele was found guilty of being an accomplice in the rape of the 9-year-old and on counts of sexual exploitation of children, and human trafficking.
Sentencing was handed down by Judge Ratha Mokgoatleng. Both the accused are to be added to the National Sexual Offenders Register of 2007.
Sunday Independent