The Bethlehem Regional Court on Wednesday convicted a 43-year- old man who raped a seven-year- old girl.
Mzwane Maseko was sentenced to life imprisonment for kidnapping and raping a little girl in Bohlokong near Bethlehem, Free State in February 2016.
Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring, a spokesperson for the Free State Police, said the suspect had kidnapped the girl, held her captive, and sexually assaulted her.
The child’s mother reported the incident to police after she discovered her daughter missing from their house, according to Mophiring.
According to police, her daughter arrived home the following morning after she was allegedly dropped off on the street by the accused.
“She told her mother what had happened, and fortunately, she had seen the culprit and pointed him out to her mother. The suspect escaped to nearby farms outside Bethlehem but was caught and arrested,” Mophring said.
His case was provisionally withdrawn pending the results of a DNA test, which eventually came back positive.
He was re-arrested and locked up for three years while awaiting trial.
The Free State Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Baile Motswenyane, has warned that sexual violence against children would not be condoned and that anyone who commits such an offense will face the full wrath of the law.
“Crimes against women and children continue to be a concern in this country, and we must protect rather than abuse them. I want to thank the investigating officer, as well as any family members or colleagues who may have played a role in this case,” said Lt Gen Motswenyane.
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