Rapist gets 20 years for assaulting 13-year-old in Northam

Northam – A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years of direct imprisonment by the Thabazimbi Regional Court for the rape of a 13-year-old girl, bringing long-awaited justice to the young survivor and her family.

The incident took place on 9 October 2023 at a residence in Northam Extension 2. According to court proceedings, the young girl had visited her sister’s friend’s home when the sister and her friend briefly left to run errands. The girl was left in the care of the friend’s boyfriend — who then sexually assaulted her.

The victim bravely reported the assault to her sister upon her return. A case was immediately opened at Northam Police Station, and a medical examination confirmed the attack. The accused was arrested the following day, on 10 October 2023, and later released on bail pending trial.

Thanks to the dedicated investigation by detective constable Tumelo Frans Kgonothi of the Thabazimbi Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit, the case was successfully prosecuted.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered that the convict’s name be entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000). Lieutenant general Thembi Hadebe, Limpopo’s provincial police commissioner, commended the conviction.

Photo: Detective constable Tumelo Frans Kgonothi, whose investigation led to a 20-year sentence for the rapist of a 13-year-old girl in Northam.