The Provincial Head of the FCS Units in the province, Brig Nicky Mills welcomed the verdict handed to Elrico De Koker (32) in the Postmasburg Regional court on 18 October 2021.
De Koker was sentenced to life imprisonment after he raped his 12-year-old female victim on 14 March 2020 at approximately 17:00 in a vacant shack in Riemvasmaak in Postmasburg after her aunt’s boyfriend (the accused) forced her to accompany him to collect water.
The accused threatened her not to tell anyone and on 6 August 2020, after experiencing numerous nightmares, her mother became suspicious that something was wrong and the victim informed her that she was sexually assaulted by the accused when she slept over at her aunts shack.
The accused evaded the police and on 30 November 2020, two members of the Postmasburg Stock Theft unit received information that the accused was hiking on the road between Kuruman and Kathu.
When the members approached him, he stabbed one of the members and was arrested. He was also charged for Assault and Resisting arrest.
De Koker remained in custody until his sentencing. His name was recorded in the National Sexual Offenders Register and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The Investigating officer who is also the Postmasburg FCS Commander, D/W/O Deborah Bob was commended for securing the life sentence which ensured that the perpetrator was incarcerated for life for committing such a heinous crime.
