The Tlhabane Regional Court in the North West sentenced Lebogela Motswadi (55) to 20 years imprisonment for sexually violating his six-year-old niece. 

The court declared him unfit to possess a firearm and for his name to be included in the register of sexual offenders. Motswadi was further declared undesirable to work with children. 

North West National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Henry Mamothame said the conviction emanates from an incident that occurred on 01 January 2018 in Phokeng, where the family was celebrating New Year's day at their home,

"The mother of the six-year-old noticed that her child was not with her cousins where they were playing. She subsequently went to the back of the house to look for the child and she found her next to the uncle, looking frightened. Upon enquiring why she was frightened, she told her mother that the uncle kissed her and inserted his finger in her private parts," he said.

Mamothame said that the child was subsequently taken for medical examination and the matter was reported to the police. 

"The accused was arrested two days later and granted bail. He then failed to appear in court and a warrant of his arrest was issued and he was re-arrested and remanded in police custody until the completion of trial. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and it was discovered during investigations that he had two previous convictions of rape that occurred in 1988 and 1999," he said.

Mamothame said the state prosecutor, Sangweni Zimema highlighted to the court the trust that the child had for the accused and he abused it instead.

"Magistrate Segakweng Moeng agreed with the state and remarked that the age of the accused and the severity of the case cumulatively constitute compelling and substantial factors, resulting in a 20-year jail term," he said.