NORTHERN CAPE – A 69-year-old man has been sentenced to an effective 20 years in prison in a Kuruman rape case involving three minor victims between the ages of 6 and 8. The Regional Court in Kuruman handed down the concurrent sentences following a meticulous investigation by the local Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.
The offenses occurred on Sunday, 12 June 2022. A six-year-old victim began experiencing pain and physical discomfort after bathing upon her return from a weekend visit to her aunt’s residence in Kuruman. When the child’s mother inquired about the circumstances of the visit, the child disclosed that she and two other children had been playing in the street that afternoon when the accused summoned them to his shack.
According to the facts presented, the 69-year-old man instructed the children to remove their clothing inside the shack and proceeded to sexually assault them. At a later stage, the accused specifically called the six-year-old victim back to his residence and raped her a second time.
The matter was promptly reported to law enforcement. Detective Constable Beauty Majola of the Kuruman Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit led the investigation, which swiftly resulted in the identification and arrest of the accused.
Following several court appearances, the accused was convicted in the Regional Court in Kuruman on three separate counts of rape. The presiding judicial officer sentenced him to 20 years of imprisonment for each count. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, resulting in an effective 20-year prison term.
