Pretoria - A 25-year-old Pretoria man was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for each count of rape of two boys six years ago when he was 18.
Christopher Bapela was sentenced by the Pretoria Regional Court this week, where he appeared facing charges of sexual assault of the boys between December 2016 and February 2017.
He was initially imposed to 20 years’ direct imprisonment for each of the two counts of the rape and would only be considered for parole after serving 25 years.
The court ordered that the two sentences run concurrently after Bapela pleaded not guilty to the charges.
It also ordered that the families of the alleged victims be notified in the instance that he is considered for parole.
Bapela’s legal representative argued that he was “a slow learner”, and at the time of the incident, he was still young.
He also asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
During the court proceedings, prosecutor advocate Don Sithole argued that for the fact that Bapela was known to the victims families was a betrayal to the victims’ trust because they had expected for him to protect them.
Sithole said Bapela took the victims’ innocence and exposed them to sexual activities at a young age.
Sithole asked the court to impose a sentence of life imprisonment, but Magistrate Lesego Makolomakwe said she found that there were substantial and compelling circumstances justifying the deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson (NPA) Lumka Mahanjana welcomed the sentence.
“The NPA would have preferred a minimum sentence of life imprisonment to be handed down. However, the prosecution accepts that the sentence handed down is a competent one and hopes that Bapela will benefit from rehabilitation programmes while incarcerated.”
She added that the two victims lived in the same street as Bapela.
She alleged that the perpetrator lured the minors to his house by giving them his cellphone to play games.
“While in his house, he undressed and raped them. He was arrested after the mother of one of the boys reported the matter to police.”
Meanwhile, in June, a 34-year-old Limpopo man was arrested for allegedly raping an eight-year-old boy.
SAPS Spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the rape happened between June 2022 until 26 May.
“Police received a complaint on 3 May 2023 from the principal of a primary school in Modimolle about a Grade 1 learner who was living in an unhygienic condition,” said Ledwaba.
“They were also informed that the mother was confronted to improve the living conditions of the child, which were not adhered to their satisfaction.
“Unfortunately, on 26 May 2023, the minor was removed from his mother’s care and placed in a place of safety at children’s home in Modimolle, where he was later allegedly taken for medical examination because the victim displayed symptoms of sexual abuse,” Ledwaba said.
Pretoria News