SECUNDA – Bongani Simelane was sentenced in the Secunda Regional Court dealing with sexual offences, to life imprisonment on 18 September.
This taxi driver was found guilty of raping an 11-year-old mentally disabled child in March 2015.
He lured the child into his taxi and drove to an abandoned church building in eMbalenhle where he raped her.
Simelane then drove away, leaving the child at the abandoned building.
A case was opened, but the perpetrator was unknown at the time.
The docket made it to the desk of Sgt Hezekiel Malapela, serial sleuth of the Secunda FCS – the police unit dealing with cases involving family violence, child protection and sexual offences.
The content immediately reminded him of a similar case in 2012 involving the rape of another mentally disabled child.
The police did arrest a man at the time, but he was acquitted for the lack of DNA evidence.
That man was Simelane.
Sgt Malapela tracked down Simelane in March 2016 with enough evidence and a strong enough case to secure a life sentence.
“I am relieved that our team caught Simelane. I am convinced he would have continued to prey on disabled children had he not been caught,” said Sgt Malapela.
Also read:
https://www.citizen.co.za/ridge-times/146192/nomthandazo-methulas-13-alleged-murderers-case-postponed/
