Two men were sentenced in the Atamelang Regional Court, North West, today for the rape and kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl.

According to the Potchefstroom Herald, Mohau Jan Mogale (30) and Thabo Isaac Molusi (29) were found guilty of rape and kidnapping. The convictions stem from a tragic incident on November 10, 2017, when a 13-year-old girl was accosted by them while on her way home.

Investigations revealed that Mogale grabbed her by the hand while Molusi forced her to accompany them. The court heard that the young girl was taken to a house in a section called ‘Iraq’ in Ottosdal and was locked inside the bedroom.

The two men left the girl locked in the house. After a while, Molusi returned and ordered the victim to take off her clothes. When she refused, he forcefully undressed and raped her throughout the night. The next day, Molusi left her in the room, and she managed to escape. Her uncle and her sister, who were searching for her, found the victim while she was on her way home. She was taken home, where she reported the ordeal to her mother. A case was opened, and both men were identified and arrested.

Both men pleaded not guilty but were convicted based on overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution. Mogale was convicted of kidnapping, and Molusi of rape and kidnapping. In aggravation of sentence, Advocate Edward Manicus emphasised the high prevalence of gender-based violence and the vulnerability of women and children in South Africa. He further presented two victim impact statements from the victim and her mother, detailing the profound physical and psychological trauma they suffered. He urged the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment to protect society, especially vulnerable members like children.

In delivering judgment, Magistrate Stephan du Toit emphasised the ‘humiliating and degrading effects of rape upon the victims’ and the ‘need for the courts to protect the victims’.

Mogale was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment for kidnapping. Molusi received life imprisonment for rape and an additional eight years for kidnapping. The court ordered that Molusi’s name be included in the National Register for Sexual Offenders and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West welcomed the sentences and commended the dedication of Manicus and other stakeholders involved in securing this conviction.

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