ELDERLY RELATIVE SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS FOR RAPE OF A MINOR
25 JUNE 2025
ELDERLY RELATIVE SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS FOR RAPE OF A MINOR
Mothibistad, Northern Cape - The Mothibistad Regional Court has convicted and sentenced Mosimaneotsile Selohela (58) to 30 years of direct imprisonment on two counts of rape of a minor.
In January 2016, in the village of Hertzog, just outside Kuruman, the accused was at the victim’s place, as they are relatives. While with other relatives, he asked the victim, who was 11 years old at the time, to accompany him to fetch sugar from his place. Upon their arrival at the accused’s place, the accused raped the victim and told her not to tell anyone or else he will hurt her.
When the victim got home, she did not say anything to her mother; however, during the night, when they were sleeping (the victim and her mother), the victim was crying in her sleep like someone in pain, with one hand placed on her private part. The victim’s mother asked her in the morning why she was crying. It was then that the victim told her mother what “utata,” as she referred to the accused, did to her when she went to fetch sugar with him. The matter was reported to the elders. The accused was summoned to a family meeting, and he denied the allegations. It was during that time that the victim reported that it was not the first time that the accused raped her. The matter was reported to the police, and the accused was arrested and later released on bail.
The trial started on 10 May 2017, and it was delayed for several reasons, including the attorney withdrawing from the case, and incomplete transcripts, to name but a few.
In arguing for the prosecution, the prosecutor, Thapelo Motseonageng put it to the court that the accused abused his position of trust as an elder and a family member of the victim. The accused took advantage of a vulnerable child, and throughout the trial, the accused never showed any remorse. The prosecutor further argued that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence and that the accused deserves life imprisonment.
Delivering judgment, the Presiding Officer found that even though the victim was a single child witness, she was a credible witness and that she told the truth. The victim’s evidence was corroborated by her mother and the doctor, who confirmed that indeed the victim was penetrated. Despite vigorous cross-examination, victim stood by her version that she was raped by the accused.
In delivering the sentence, the court took a firm stance against sexual violence and deviated from the prescribed minimum sentences, recognising the gravity and brutality of the offences. The accused was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment on Count 1 of Rape and another 25 years on Count 2 of Rape. The court ordered that 20 years of the sentence on Count 2 run concurrently with the sentence on Count 1, resulting in an effective sentence of 30 years direct imprisonment.
The court further ordered that the accused’s name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, a critical step in ensuring that his identity is flagged. The presiding officer found that the accused posed a serious and ongoing threat to children and the broader community and accordingly, declared him unfit to work with children. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) remains unflinching in its mission to confront the scourge of gender-based violence, especially when innocent children are the victims of these vile and heinous crimes. This sentence sends a strong and unequivocal message that the justice system will not tolerate the rape and violation of women and children. The NPA remains resolute in its commitment to protect the most vulnerable in our society and to ensure that perpetrators of such heinous crimes are permanently removed from our communities.
Issued by:
Mojalefa Senokoatsane
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Northern Cape Division
MSenokoatsane@npa.gov.za
073 423 3539