BLOEMFONTEIN - The Winburg Regional Court has sentenced a 60-year-old man, Ntima Joseph Maqelepo, to twenty years behind bars, of which eleven were suspended, for raping his 14-year-old neighbour.
Police spokesperson Captain Malebo Khosana said the teenager was raped on two separate occasions in May this year.
"The victim a 14-year-old alleged that on 12 May 2018 she went to the accused house to ask him to accompany her to her school after she was sexually assaulted by a former classmate who touched her bum. Instead the accused called her to his room and raped the minor. She did not report the matter to her brother who was not home during her ordeal", Khosana said.
Eight days later Maqelepo raped her again.
Khosana said the girl told a friend at school who reported it to the teacher and principal. Police were called and a case was opened. Maqelepo was immediately arrested.
Thabong Cluster Commander Major General Apaphia Modise praised the police officers involved in the investigation: “We are in the 16 days of activism against women and children and as the police it is our duty to protect these young girls and women from such barbaric perpetrators”.