North West man sentenced to 30 years for raping 15-year-old girl

DNA evidence has helped secure a 30-year prison sentence for a North West man who raped a 15-year-old girl after threatening her with a knife and forcing her into bushes.

Akanyang Tlhoke, 32, was sentenced to 30 years’ direct imprisonment by the Molopo Regional Court after pleading guilty to the rape.

The attack happened on 20 September 2019, when the teenager was walking to visit a friend in Mosiane View.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Tlhoke accosted the girl, threatened her with a knife and forced her into nearby bushes, where he raped her.

The victim did not know her attacker, but investigators later identified him through DNA evidence that linked him to the crime.

DNA evidence leads to conviction

The case relied on investigative work that established Tlhoke’s identity despite the victim not knowing him.

After being linked to the offence through DNA evidence, Tlhoke pleaded guilty to rape.

State prosecutor Advocate Kefentse Diseko argued that the seriousness of the crime warranted a life sentence.

Although the court found substantial and compelling circumstances that justified departing from the prescribed minimum sentence, it imposed a 30-year term of direct imprisonment.

Court imposes additional restrictions

Alongside the prison sentence, the court ordered several measures aimed at protecting vulnerable people.

Tlhoke was declared unfit to work with children and his name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.

These measures add to the consequences of the conviction beyond the custodial sentence.

NPA welcomes lengthy prison sentence

North West Director of Public Prosecutions Dr Rachel Makhari said the sentence demonstrated that perpetrators could still be brought to justice, even years after an offence.

The NPA’s provincial spokesperson, Lindiwe Mabasa, also welcomed the outcome and reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to prosecuting sexual offences.

“The NPA remains firmly committed to combating gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual offences face the full might of the law,” Mabasa said.

She added that the authority would continue pursuing justice for victims and supporting efforts to protect women and children from violence and abuse.

The 30-year sentence brings the case to a significant point after the 2019 attack, with DNA evidence playing a central role in identifying the perpetrator and securing the guilty plea.

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Source: IOL