A fake prophet who prayed on young girls was sentenced to an effective 45-years in jail for rape and for attempted rape. Abram Rantsho was sentenced by the Phuthaditjhaba regional court in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State yesterday.

Free State police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said that the rape and kidnapping incidents took place between August 2021 and September 2023. Rantsho's first victim was an 18-year-old teenager who he approached while walking to the shops in Phuthaditjhaba. "The victim was approached by a male who introduced himself as "China" and started his false prophecy about the victim. He ended up saying the director of his company is in town and wants CVs from people interested," Kareli said. He added that the victim was lured to the accused's house in Monotsha where on their arrival, he took out a knife and instructed the victim to undress. He raped her at knifepoint and and gave her money to catch a taxi back home. Kareli further said the fake prophet continued again on 7 June 2022 where he met a 15-years-old girl at Maluti Crescent Mall in Phuthaditjhaba, introduced himself and started prophesying the teenager before luring her to his house by claiming that he had a mirror at his house that he uses to look into his patients' lives. They both took a taxi to Monontsha and upon their arrival, he took out a panga and instructed the 15-year-old to undress, raped her and released her.

Kareli said that on 3 September 2023, another victim, a 19-year-old was almost raped by the Rantsho after he approached her at the mall promising her a job. "He claimed his company director was in the area and taking CVs. The victim agreed to go with him to meet the company director and upon their arrival, he pretended as if he was talking to someone in the house and asked the victim to enter and take out her CV. He went to another room, where he again collected a knife and ordered the victim to undress," Kareli said. The victim managed to escape half-naked and sought help from a passing taxi driver, who took her to the Tseki police station where all the cases were opened. He was arrested after he was spotted at Tseki Court by one of the investigators, three days after the attempted rape case was reported.