Rape conviction: 23-year-old sentenced to 18 years in prison

A 23-YEAR-old man, Ikgopoleng Seane, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for raping a 43-year-old woman in Lohatlha village, Siyathemba, Northern Cape.

The Kathu Regional Court convicted Seane on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, and also declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

The incident occurred on October 8, 2023, in the early hours of the morning, when Seane entered the victim's residence and assaulted her colleague, who managed to escape. He then turned on the victim. He physically assaulted her, forcibly undressed her, and raped her.

The victim's screams alerted nearby residents, who responded and came to her aid.

A case of rape was opened, and the accused was successfully traced and arrested by the police.

The Provincial Commissioner of the Northern Cape, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, welcomed the conviction and sentence, praising Warrant Officer Boikanyo Pilane of the Kathu Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for his thorough investigation.

Lieutenant General Otola also acknowledged the valuable guidance provided by Prosecutor Mrs Bernice Oor, which contributed to the successful prosecution and incarceration of Seane.