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The Ga-Rankuwa Regional Court sentenced a 67-year-old Oupa Kgomo, to life imprisonment for raping an 8-year-old step-granddaughter. He was also registered in the national register of sexual offenders and the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm. His conviction emanates from incidents that occurred between January 2017, and December 2018, in Klipgat, where the accused stayed with the complaint’ and her grandmother, who he was in a relationship with. Evidence led in court revealed that Kgomo, raped the complainant whenever the grandmother went out of the house to run errands.
In December 2018, the complainant’s aunt noticed some unusual behaviour of the complainant, who was constantly crying and had ceased to play with her friends. Upon enquiring, the complainant told the aunt about her sexual ordeal with Kgomo. The matter was reported to the police and she was subsequently taken for a medical check, which confirmed that the child was violated. The accused was subsequently arrested but the court granted him R1000. He pleaded not guilty to the offence.
In aggravation of the sentence, Adv Mummy Mosonodi urged the court not to deviate from the minimum prescribed sentence of life imprisonment. She further argued that Kgomo took advantage of a child whom he was supposed to protect as she trusted him. Magistrate Aggrey Sephoti agreed with the state and remarked that the courts have a responsibility to send a strong message to perpetrators of such offences, meant to violate women, children and the elderly.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, together with the Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, lauded the prosecutor and Detectives Sergeant Mmaletswai Mathiba from the SAPS and other role players for their collaboration in bringing the perpetrator to book.
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