A child rapist has been sentenced to 115 years imprisonment in the De Aar Regional Court in the Northern Cape.

The 56-year-old rapist cannot be named to protect the identity of the boys he violated.

He was convicted on 18 charges which included rape, compelled rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming and possession of 734 images and 172 videos of child pornography.

The provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the rapist was arrested in October 2021, after a young boy he was living with reported at school that the man had been sexually inappropriate with him.

During his bail application in Philipstown District Court, bail was denied.

With the rapist behind bars, police could thoroughly investigate and manage to uncover that there were several other victims and they were willing to come forward.

“The investigations revealed that the accused started sexually abusing young boys as young as 11 since 1999. Over the years, numerous boys lived with the accused, and he sexually abused them for several years until his eventual arrest in October 2021.

“The accused was charged with 18 counts of contravention of the Sexual Offences Act 32 of 2007. Charges include, among others, rape, compelled rape, sexual assault, and possession of 734 images and 172 videos of child pornography. With the insurmountable evidence against the accused, he pleaded guilty to all 18 counts,” Senokoatsane said.

State Prosecutor, advocate Tevaughnay van Wyk worked with the victims and witnesses, alongside the court preparation officer and this took about a year to complete.

“The prosecution encountered numerous challenges in trying to finalise this matter, one being that most of the children did not want to testify against the accused and this posed a hurdle in the prosecution of the matter.

“The message the State wishes to instil into society is that parents / guardians should take concerns raised by their children with an assertive stance and report to our authorities immediately any indications of possible sexual abuse so that these cases may be investigated and prosecuted,” Senokoatsane said.

The court sentenced the child predator to 115 years for his crimes against children.

“This sentence validates the National Prosecuting Authority's commitment to continue fighting the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) particularly against women and children,” Senokoatsane said.

robin.francke@inl.co.za

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