| Acting Provincial Commissioner welcomes two life terms handed to a rapist | |
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| Date Published | |
| 2025/09/27 | |
| Details | |
Media Statement
POTCHEFSTROOM - The Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Dintletse Molefe, welcomes two life terms handed down by the Potchefstroom Regional Court to 40-year-old rape accused, Elias Tsetla on Tuesday, 23 September 2025. The convict was sentenced for raping his girlfriend in January 2023, at Ikageng Location, Potchefstroom. Consequent to registration of the case that was investigated by the Potchefstroom Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, the accused was arrested three days later. After failing to prove his legal status in the country, Tsetla, who is from Lesotho, was further charged with contravention of the Immigration Act, 2002. Evidence was led in court that the girlfriend, then aged 28, arrived home and found the boyfriend who accused her of having affairs with other men. Following the exchange regarding the accusations, the convict assaulted and raped his girlfriend twice. Although he pleaded not guilty, the accused, who has been in custody since his arrest, was found guilty and sentenced as follows: Count 1: Rape - Life imprisonment Count 2: Rape - Life Imprisonment Count 3: Violation of Immigration Act - R3000.00 or three months imprisonment. The court ordered that the accused’s name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. Major General Molefe and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr Rachel Makhari extolled Warrant Officer Jaco Jonker, the Prosecutor, Advocate Annecke Du Toit and everyone who played a critical role to ensure that the conviction is secured as part of the entities’ commitment to deal firmly with violence against women and children. Ends
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