An 82-year-old man from Free State appeared in the Petrusburg Magistrate Court on Thursday, facing allegations of raping an eight-year-old girl.
According to Provincial spokesperson Sergeant Sinah Mpakane, the case came to light in July when the victim revealed to other children that she had been sexually abused by the suspect at his home. A parent reported the allegation to a teacher, prompting an investigation.
“The case was reported to the police, and the suspect was subsequently apprehended. It has been referred to the Jacobsdal family violence, child protection, and sexual offences unit for further investigation,” Mpakane said.
The suspect remains in custody as his bail application is pending. He is scheduled to appear in court again on August 22.
In a separate case, the Sasolburg High Court recently sentenced 19-year-old Tshepo Lethebe to 15 years in prison for raping a 21-year-old woman with physical disabilities. The incident, which occurred in February 2021, saw Lethebe forcibly drag the victim to his home, where he sexually assaulted her before falling asleep beside her. The victim managed to escape, seek help, and Lethebe was arrested later that day by Sergeant Sara Maleka.