The Ga-Rankuwa regional court on Wednesday sentenced a 67-year-old Oupa Kgomo to life imprisonment for raping an eight-year-old step-granddaughter.
Oupa Kgomo was also placed on the national register of sexual offenders and the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
His conviction comes from incidents that occurred between January 2017 and December 2018 in Klipgat, where the accused stayed with the complainant and her grandmother whom he was in a relationship with.
The evidence led in court revealed that Kgomo raped the complainant when the grandmother had gone out to run errands.
Henry Mamothame, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, said: “In December 2018, the complainant’s aunt noticed some unusual behaviour of the complainant, who was constantly crying and had ceased to play with her friends.
“Upon enquiring, the complainant told the aunt about her sexual ordeal with Kgomo. The matter was reported to the police and she was subsequently taken for a medical check, which confirmed that the child was violated.
“The accused was subsequently arrested but the court granted him R1 000. He pleaded not guilty to the offence.”
Advocate Mummy Mosonodi urged the court not to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment, arguing that Kgomo took advantage of a child whom he was supposed to protect as she trusted him.
Magistrate Aggrey Sephoti agreed with the state, remarking that the courts have a responsibility to send a strong message to perpetrators of such offences.
Rachel Makhari, director of public prosecutions in North West, together with the provincial commissioner of police Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena, lauded the prosecutor, detectives, sergeant Mmaletswai Mathiba and other role players for their collaboration in bringing the perpetrator to book.
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