On Sunday, 28 October 2018 at approximately 11:00 an 18-year-old victim was walking home from church with a female friend. An unknown man suddenly appeared from behind a tree with his face covered with a t-shirt.

The accused cut a branch from the tree and threatened the victim and her friend with it.

The accused hit the victim’s friend with the stick and instructed her to run away.

The accused then held the victim by her arm and went with her into the bushes where the accused removed the t-shirt that was covering his face. He instructed the victim to lay on it and remove her clothes.

Out of fear, the victim did as she was told. The accused then raped the victim. The accused then demanded money from the victim and grabbed the victim’s church bag and robbed the victim of R200-00.

When three of the victim’s male fri approached the victim and the accused, the accused started to run away. The victim’s three male fri chased after the accused and caught up with the accused and apprehended him.

The police w
ere called and the victim opened a case.

On Wednesday, 04 October 2023 the Kuruman Regional Court, convicted and sentenced accused, Thabang Tshabadira (30) to 12 years direct imprisonment.

The accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm, unfit to work with children and the accused name to be entered in the National Register of sex Offenders.

The Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, commended the investigating officer, Constable Michelle Badukane for the exceptional manner in which the case was investigated resulting in the accused being found guilty.

Source: South African Police Service