The ANC councillor and bishop who was arrested yesterday is facing eleven provisional charges, two for statutory rape, three for the violation of a child, one for manufacturing pornographic material, four for rape and one for sexual intimidation. He appeared in court this morning. The Orkney Magistrates' Court in the North West deferred the case against councillor Tebogo Sepale (43) at the Matlosana Local Municipality for legal representation. Sepale requested a week to appoint a private attorney to represent him and the court issued a verdict that he will remain in police custody until his next court appearance. The state will oppose his bail application.  

MORE CHARGES

The state is not ruling out the possibility of more charges being added. His court appearance emanates from a report by the police indicating that the Klerksdorp Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, was investigating a case of crimen injuria and two separate counts of statutory rape, after they were reported at Kanana police station, respectively. In one of the cases, the Sepale allegedly shared a nude picture of his private parts with the complainant, in the second and separate case, but involving the same suspect, two counts of statutory rape were laid on Saturday by the parents of two boys aged 15 and 17.  

SWIFT RESPONSE

Investigations are still underway to gather more evidence against the suspect. The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West Dr Rachel Makhari Sekhaolelo, together with the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena lauded the police for acting swiftly in arresting the suspect. "A senior public prosecutor has been assigned to the case, owing to its serious nature," North West NPA spokesperson Henry Mamothame said.