The Ga-Rankuwa Regional Court in the North West sentenced a preacher to life in prison for raping his 12-year-old niece.

The court sentenced Simao Hlongwane (43) to life imprisonment for the rape on Wednesday. North West NPA spokesperson Henry Mamothane said that in court, it emerged during the trial that the complainant and her mother who is the sister of the accused, were residing in Mothutlung, a short distance from where the accused stays.

"It was further revealed that on 17 January 2017 the accused sent the complainant to his other stand to clean inside the shack. He subsequently followed her and raped her in the shack. The complaint went to report the matter to her 15-year-old sister who then conveyed the message to the mother. The mother however, failed to report the matter to the police," he said. Mamothane said that the evidence led in court revealed that on 23 January 2021, the complainant who was 15 years of age at the time in fear of being raped again, went to the police to report the matter.

Mamothane added that the victim went to the police after the accused had continued to touch her inappropriately over time. The police subsequently summoned the mother to assist the child in opening the case. The mother was described as being hesitant and unsupportive of the daughter's actions, as the accused was their primary source of financial support. In the pre-sentence report, she described the accused to be a generous person," he said. Mamothane further said that the accused's wife also described him as being a person who believes in religious values and prayer, and he was affiliated with a Christian church at which he is a preacher. State prosecutor, Advocate Mummy Mosonodi convinced the court that the accused failed to demonstrate moral and religious values when he committed an offence that was against his Christian beliefs. Mosonodi urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.

Magistrate Aggrey Sephothi agreed with the state and imposed a life sentence.