20-year jail sentence for man who raped 15-year-old girl in Leliefontein

A 23-YEAR-old man has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for the rape of a 15-year-old girl in Leliefontein, Namakwa.

Wilken Klonkie Cloete was convicted and sentenced on February 3 after pleading guilty to the offence, which was committed in October 2024.

According to court records, Cloete entered the victim’s home during the night and raped her while her elderly great-aunt was asleep in the same house. The victim later reported the incident to her family, who immediately alerted the police.

Cloete was arrested the following day and has remained in custody since his arrest.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court declared Cloete unfit to possess a firearm. His name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, and he has been deemed unsuitable to work with children.

District Commissioner Brigadier Schalk Andrews commended the investigating officer and the prosecutor for their role in securing the conviction. He said the sentence reaffirmed the South African Police Service’s commitment to protecting vulnerable members of society and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual violence are held accountable.