FORMER POLICE WARRANT OFFICER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPING AN INCARCERATED WOMAN
11 NOVEMBER 2025
FORMER POLICE WARRANT OFFICER SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPING AN INCARCERATED WOMAN
Barkly West, Northern Cape – The Barkly West Regional Court has sentenced former South African Police Service (SAPS) member, Warrant Officer Anthony Sekutinyane, to 15 years of direct imprisonment following his conviction for the rape of a 23-year-old incarcerated woman. The incident occurred on 08 August 2022, when the victim was detained at the Barkly West Police Station after her mother, who had obtained a protection order against her, called the police to intervene in a domestic dispute.
During the night, the accused, who was the Shift Commander on duty, approached the holding cells and deceitfully informed the victim that he had paid R500 bail for her release. He demanded sexual favours in exchange. When the victim requested to call her sister to repay the supposed bail amount, the accused became aggressive and proceeded to rape her inside the cell. The victim preserved her clothing, containing DNA evidence, which later confirmed the accused’s involvement. She reported the crime, leading to Sekutinyane’s arrest and dismissal from the SAPS.
During the trial, the accused claimed the act was consensual, alleging that he had merely “joked” about relieving stress through sexual intercourse.
The court rejected this defence, accepting the State’s case presented by Regional Court Prosecutor Oppelt-Henderson, who argued that Sekutinyane had grossly abused his authority and violated his oath to serve and protect. In aggravation of sentence, the prosecutor emphasised that the accused’s conduct had severely undermined public trust in the police and inflicted lasting emotional trauma on the victim. The court concurred, noting that law enforcement officers bear a heightened responsibility to uphold the law, not exploit their positions for personal gratification.
Sekutinyane was sentenced to 15 years of direct imprisonment. The court further ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and that he be declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes this sentence, which reinforces the principle that no one is above the law. The NPA hopes this conviction will restore public confidence in the justice system and provide a measure of closure to the victim and her family. This sentence sends a strong message that those entrusted with public responsibility will face the full force of the law when they abuse their authority and violate the rights of others. The NPA remains committed to aggressively prosecuting all cases of sexual violence, which infringe upon the rights to dignity and privacy enshrined in the Constitution.
Issued by:
Mojalefa Senokoatsane
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Northern Cape Division
073 423 3539