A 47-year-old pastor from Edenburg has been handed two life sentences for rape and an additional five-year term for sexual assault by the Edenburg Regional Court on Friday, 23 May 2025.
The case dates back to 2022 when a 12-year-old victim reported to her father that she had been repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted by the pastor while staying at his residence. Investigations revealed that the abuse had been ongoing since 2019, with the assaults occurring in the absence of the pastor’s wife, who worked night shifts.
The matter was reported at the Edenburg police station, and Detective Sergeant Isaac Ntsepe of the Trompsburg Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit took over the investigation. His meticulous work ensured a successful prosecution, resulting in the following sentences:
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Count One (Rape): Life imprisonment
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Count Two (Rape): Life imprisonment
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Count Three (Sexual Assault): Five years’ imprisonment
The court ordered that Counts Two and Three run concurrently with Count One, meaning the pastor will serve an effective life sentence. Additionally, the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
