A Free State mother and her boyfriend have been sentenced to life imprisonment in the Bloemfontein Sexual Offenses Court for sexually abusing three minor children.
The 39-year-old boyfriend and the children’s 33-year-old mother were convicted of multiple charges of rape, sexual assault and sexual exploitation.
To protect the identity of the minor children, the suspect in this case cannot be named.
Evidence before the court showed that the children were subjected to these crimes for a period of five years from 2015.
The victims were the woman’s two daughters, then aged 11 and 14, and her 10-year-old niece.
The court heard the duo had a romantic relationship and repeatedly raped and sexually exploited the children.
It was further revealed that the children’s mother facilitated the abuse by sending the victims to her lover, ignoring their disclosures and coercing them through threats and physical violence.
In one incident, the boyfriend raped the 10-year-old girl in front of her mother, then continued sexual intercourse with the mother while the child remained in the room.
The victims were sometimes offered money or told to perform sexual acts in exchange for necessities.
To support its case, the state also presented victim impact statements that had been prepared, highlighting the profound trauma and long-term harm suffered by the children.
To aggravate the sentence, the prosecution led by prosecutor Joseph Cwele argued that the court should sentence both suspects to life imprisonment for their crimes, arguing that both had failed to protect the children. The prosecutor acknowledged that the children suffered trauma that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
The lover was sentenced to life imprisonment for each of the three rapes. The mother was sentenced to life imprisonment for each of the three counts of rape, fifteen years for each of the three counts of sexual exploitation and three years for the one count of assault.
Provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mojalefa Senokoatsane, said it remains steadfast in its commitment to combating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), which continues to pose a serious threat to the safety, dignity and constitutional rights of women and children in South Africa.
“Through dedicated prosecutors, specialist Sexual Offenses and Community Affairs Units (SOCA) and victim-centred prosecution strategies, the NPA works tirelessly to ensure that survivors receive justice and perpetrators are held accountable for their actions,” Senokoatsane said.
The NPA works closely with law enforcement agencies, particularly the South African Police Service, social workers, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders within the criminal justice system to strengthen investigations and prosecutions.
“This collaborative approach ensures that cases are thoroughly prepared and presented to the courts, resulting in successful convictions and appropriate sentences that reflect the seriousness of these crimes. Such partnerships are critical to ensuring that offenders are removed from society and that communities are protected from further harm. The protection of children remains a priority for the NPA,” Senokoatsane said.
According to the NPA, crimes against children are among the most heinous crimes prosecuted by the Authority, and every effort is made to ensure that young victims are treated with care, sensitivity and respect throughout the criminal justice process.
“The NPA will continue to advocate for the rights of children, pursue justice without fear or favor, and work with law enforcement to ensure that those who prey on the most vulnerable members of society face the full might of the law,” Senokoatsane said.
IOL news
Get your news on the go. Download the latest IOL app for Android And iOS now.
Robin-Lee Francke
iol.co.za