A Northern Cape man was sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old child.
Image: DFA / Created with DALL-E / File
IN A CHILLING case that sent shockwaves through the community, a 38-year-old man from Concordia has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the brutal rape of a nine-year-old girl.
According to Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Molefi Shemane, the harrowing incident occurred on June 9, 2023, when the young victim was visiting her cousin's home in Tweefontein West, Concordia. The accused took advantage of the situation, sexually assaulting the child in a bedroom.
Despite the trauma, the brave girl managed to escape his clutches and immediately reported the ordeal to her grandmother, who contacted the police.
The case was taken up by Detective Constable Mitch Cloete of the Springbok SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit. His diligent investigation ensured that the accused was arrested promptly and denied bail, keeping him behind bars throughout the legal proceedings.
The Springbok Regional Court delivered a decisive verdict, sentencing the perpetrator to 20 years of direct imprisonment for rape. In addition to the prison term, the court declared the man unfit to possess a firearm and mandated that his name be added to the National Register for Sex Offenders.
The Northern Cape provincial commissioner, Lieutenant-General Koliswa Otola, praised Detective Constable Cloete for his meticulous work, which was instrumental in securing justice for the young victim.
Sergeant Shemane said the conviction is a testament to the Northern Cape police’s zero-tolerance approach towards crimes against children. He added that the SAPS will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that such heinous acts are met with the full force of the law.