Louis Pepping, a former subject advisor for the Eastern Cape department of education, was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor.
The 58-year-old was found guilty by the Mthatha High Court of raping a six-year-old girl at Ngobozana in Lusikisiki in 2019. While he was out on bail, he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old learner in June 2021.
The court ordered that his name be entered into the national register of sex offenders.
Delivering judgment, acting judge Mvuzo Notyesi agreed with senior state advocate, Mbulelo Nyendwana, that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence of life for raping a minor.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Luxolo Tyali, said they welcome the sentence.
“Pepping never showed any remorse, the court was not impressed by the evidence presented in the mitigation of sentence, that he was a church elder and has four children, whose names he does not even know,” said Tyali.
“It [the court] concurred with the prosecution [team] that Pepping is a highly educated man who should have known better.
“He deserves to be taken away from society for the longest time, as he has demonstrated that he is a danger to society, especially the vulnerable. In court, he showed total disregard of the rule of law, even raising his middle [finger] to the court.”
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