A 59-year-old man in the Northern Cape has been sentenced to three life terms for luring young girls into watching pornographic content and then raping them.
The Mothibistad regional court heard that Itumeleng Prichard Masilabele would pay the girls between R7 and R25 to remain silent.
The court also heard that the 59-year-old resident of Seven Miles village in Kuruman used to invite young girls from the village to his house to watch television.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the convicted rapist would chase away other girls present except for the victim.
He would then proceed to lock his house and play pornographic DVDs on his television to watch with the victim.
“It is alleged that after watching the pornography, the accused would proceed to rape the victim and thereafter give them money ranging from R7 to R25,” Senokoatsane said.
“Before allowing the victim to leave, the accused would threaten her with violence or death if they were to tell anyone of the rape.
“Due to the severity of the rapes, one victim was admitted to the hospital due to severe damage to her vaginal area, which required immediate medical intervention.”
During trial, noted Senokoatsane, the accused admitted to having another sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl in the village.
In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Bernice Bronkhorst argued that the accused had a modus operandi, as both complainants were lured to his house where he would show them pornographic material, rape them, pay them, and then threaten them with violence.
“The state further argued that by the accused’s admission, he has a sexual preference for young girls,” said Senokoatsane.
“Further, that his modus operandi was indicative of him being a serial rapist, and that the rehabilitation prospects of a serial rapist are slim.”
The three terms of life imprisonment will run concurrently.
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