The Limpopo man who was arrested for getting a 13-year-old girl pregnant appeared briefly in Seshego Regional Court on Monday, where he was charged with serious offences under schedule six of the Criminal Procedure Act.
Ditebogo Frans Phololo (28) is accused of sexual grooming and statutory rape after engaging in sexual activity with a minor and getting her pregnant.
The teenager gave birth to a baby boy at Seshego Hospital on Christmas Day.
While the director of public prosecution continues to profile the accused, magistrate Cilia Harris remanded Phololo in custody until his next court appearance on January 8.
Sunday World has learnt that Phololo, who reportedly works in a Polokwane restaurant, briefly dated the girl.
Phololo and the girl reportedly met in January at Seshego Circle Mall and started communicating and began getting intimate in May.
Girl confided in aunt that she was pregnant
The girl only revealed her pregnancy to her aunt after experiencing health complications, and later in November, medical tests confirmed that she was eight months pregnant.
After the incident was reported to the police, a statutory rape case was filed for additional investigation.
Phololo was arrested by the Seshego family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit on December 26.
When he appeared in court on Monday, Phololo was not asked to plead but requested to be represented by Legal Aid.
The court gallery was crowded with members of the community, politicians, anti-gender-based violence (GBV) activists, and civil society who condemned Phololo’s crimes.
Deputy Police Minister Polly Boshielo and other high-profile senior government officials, including Limpopo MEC for transport and community safety Violet Mathye, health MEC Dieketseng Mashego and Capricorn district mayor Mamedupi Teffo, attended the proceedings.
Rate of teenage pregnancies is high
“As government, we strongly denounce any form of crime, especially when it comes to sexual offences against women and children,” Mathye said. “We believe the law will take its course and punish the perpetrator.”
Boshielo said the government was concerned about the rising rate of child pregnancies, particularly in Limpopo schools.
“Of the most alarming statistics are schools in Seshego and GaMatlala,” Boshielo said.
“We are pleading with principals to encourage learners who fell pregnant to older people to report these cases of sexual offences to the police immediately.”
Most of the 359 children born on Christmas Day were born to teenage moms.
