Postmasburg court jails teen rapist after survivor speaks out

A TEENAGER has been sentenced to five years in prison for rape, following a disturbing incident in Postmasburg that came to light after the victim bravely reported what had happened.

Northern Cape police spokesperson Sergeant Omphile Masegela said the assault took place on the night of October 22, 2021. 

After returning home from a school event and finding no one at home, the victim went in search of her brother at a nearby residence. A friend of her brother offered her a room for the night.

During the night, the victim was awoken by her brother and was surprised to find herself unclothed, before drifting back to sleep. The following morning, the victim awoke with flashbacks of the previous night and came to the realisation that she had been raped. This led to a confrontation with the accused about what had happened.

The accused admitted to engaging in sexual activity without the victim’s consent.

She reported the matter to the police and a case was opened. An investigation was launched by the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences FCS) unit in Kakamas, which led to the arrest and prosecution of the accused.

The Regional Court in Postmasburg this week convicted the 18-year-old of rape and sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment.

The SAPS in the ZF Mgcawu District welcomed the conviction and sentence handed down by the court, with management praising the “meticulous investigation” by Constable Keamogetswe Besson of the Kakamas FCS unit, in collaboration with prosecutor Kenneth Motsatse. Their efforts were commended for helping to ensure justice in this gender-based violence case.