A 23-YEAR-old Northern Cape man, Tebogo Tshegodikae, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping a 13-year-girl and attempting to rape a 15-year-old girl in two unrelated incidents in 2014 and 2015.
The first incident took place on March 15, 2014, when the 13-year-old female victim, who was accompanied by a friend, was returning from church in Bodulong at around 12.30am. The two were approached by Tshegodikae and the friend managed to escape. The 13-year-old was accosted, threatened and raped at knifepoint by Tshegodikae.
Tshegodikae was arrested on March 16, 2014 by Warrant Officer Keitumetse Semetsa, who investigated the case.
The second incident took place on July 19, 2015, at about 4.40pm, when the 15-year-old female victim went to collect wood in the veld in the Bankhara village area.
The victim was accosted and threatened with a knife by Tshegodikae, who tried to undress and rape her. She managed to defend herself and alerted community members who were in the area.
Tshegodikae was arrested on the same day by Captain Caren Nel.
Police spokesperson Colonel Mashay Gamieldien said that further investigations indicated that Tshegodikae was linked to both cases and he appeared in the Kuruman Magistrate’s Court on June 18, 2020 on charges of rape and attempted rape.
“Tshegodikae was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment,” said Gamieldien.
He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be recorded in the National Register for Sex Offenders.
The provincial head for Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) in the Northern Cape, Brigadier Nicky Mills, applauded Captain Nel, the unit commander of Kuruman FCS, and Warrant Officer Semetsa for their commitment and thorough investigation in both cases.
The District Commissioner of the John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) cluster, Major-General Johan Bean, also commended the officers for their investigations that led to the removal of a perpetrator of gender-based violence from society.
“These heinous crimes against vulnerable victims will not be tolerated in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District,” said Bean.
