BLOEMFONTEIN — The Bloemfontein Regional Court has sentenced a 29-year-old man to direct imprisonment for the rape and assault of his 18-year-old girlfriend.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on Monday, June 2, 2025, at 20:00 at the accused’s residence. According to court proceedings, the victim arrived at the location to collect her school uniform. Out of fear for her life, she requested that the accused hand her the uniform while she remained standing by the door. The accused instead forcefully grabbed the victim, pulled her inside the house by her clothes, and physically assaulted her. He subsequently undressed the victim and raped her.
Following the attack, the matter was reported to the police, and a rape case was registered. Detective Sergeant Vuyisile Salemane of the Bultfontein Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit was assigned to the case. His investigation led to the apprehension of the accused, who remained in custody until the conclusion of the trial. Detective Salemane worked in conjunction with National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Prosecutor Makokoe to prosecute the matter.
On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Magistrate Matthews found the accused guilty of the charges. He was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment for rape and an additional five years’ imprisonment for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).