The Provincial Commissioner of South African Police Service Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the incarceration of a 40 year-old male, after he was sentenced to an effective 25 years imprisonment by the Regional Court in Modimolle on Tuesday 19 September 2023.

The Court heared that the accused raped a seven year-old girl at Smashhoek Informal Settlement under Northam Policing area in the Waterberg District on 02 June 2019. It is reported that the victim was called by her uncle in the afternoon to come to his room that is opposite to her residence during a family gathering ceremony that was hosted a few houses from the Crime Scene.

The victim went to the accused room and upon arrival, the accused closed the door and raped her. The minor child was later released by the accused but she did not report or inform anyone about the ordeal.

Reports indicate that the neighbour of the accused saw the victim entering and became suspicious when she realized that the child spent a long time inside room and informed her aunt.

The child was interrogated and she revealed that she was feeling pain on the stomach and genitals. The victim was immediately transported to the local hospital for medical examination and it was later confirmed that she has been raped.

The matter was immediately reported at the Northam Police Station and a rape case was opened

A massive manhunt of the suspect was then launched.

The accused was subsequently arrested the very same day by members of the community at Smashhoek Informal Settlement and handed to the Police.

The case was transferred to the Thabazimbi Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) for further investigations.

Sergeant Modupi was assigned to investigate the matter and he executed a brilliant work to oppose bail during several Court appearances made by the accused until he was convicted for rape of a minor and sentenced to an effective 25 years imprisonment by the Modimolle Regional Court.

Furthermore, the accused was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and his particulars are to be included in the National Register for Sexual Offenders.

“I appreciate the sterling work that was displayed by the Police and other stakeholders involved to ensure that perpetrators continuously rooted out of the Society for the safety and comfort of the inhabitants of this Province” Concluded General Hadebe.

Source: South Africa Police Service