Two Free State uncles have been convicted at the Velkom Regional Court for raping unsuspecting victims who thought they would be safe in their presence.
In the first case, in June of 2024, an eight-year-old child from Bronville told her mother that her 33-year-old uncle had done "strange" things to her while the woman was away.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said the offender was accused of playing pornographic films on his phone and showing them to the child.
"He left the child watching the videos and went outside. When he came back, he undressed the victim, raped her and threatened her not to say anything to anyone.
"The mother reported the matter to Bronville police, and a case of rape was opened for further investigation and the suspect was arrested," Kareli said.
In Thabong, a 20-year-old victim was at a party with her friends in September 2021 when she requested one of them to take her somewhere to sleep.
Her companion requested his uncle to accommodate the victim, and she fell asleep.
"The victim was woken up by someone raping her. She managed to push the suspect off and realised that it was the owner of the house, who is the 34-year-old uncle," said Kareli.
The victim was taken to Thabong police station, where a rape case was lodged for further investigation.
The two individual cases were transferred to the Thabong Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit and placed in the capable investigative hands of Sergeant Themba Jilimba, who ensured that the perpetrator in the first case was sentenced to 15 years in prison for rape, while the accused in the second case was sentenced to 10 years in prison for rape.
IOL