The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane welcomed the sentence and lauded the effort of the investigation team that resulted in the sentencing of a 26 year old accused to three life sentences.
The accused was sentenced on Thursday, 12 October 2017 by the Brits Regional Court on four counts of rape. The crimes were committed between November 2011 and July 2016.
It was disclosed in court that the accused raped a 51 year old woman on two separate occasions in November 2011 in Letlhabile near Brits after breaking and gaining entrance into the victim’s house.
In both incidents, he threatened the victim with a knife and raped her. He also on both occasions robbed the victim off her items such as cell phones, money and groceries. During the second incident, the accused locked the victim inside the house and left the place with the house keys. The victim was rescued by her neighbors.
In another separate incident, in July 2016, the accused raped his 11 year old younger sister.
The latter was sleeping with her younger brother in a separate room at their grandmother’s house. The accused entered the room, woke up the victim, threatened and instructed her to keep quiet before raping her. He also took the victim to a nearby abandoned house where he raped her again.
The victim informed her grandmother who reported the matter to the police.
The suspect was traced and arrested three days later. Through a thorough investigation and utilisation of investigative aids, the accused was linked with the rape incidents of a 51 year old woman.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane said that the sentence will send a clear message that no stone will be left unturned in ensuring that those who transgress the law including committing crimes against women and children, face the full might of the law.
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