A male (25) suspect appeared at the Phalala Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 22 May 2025, facing charges of sexually assaulting his girlfriend’s seven-year-old daughter.
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The incident occurred on 26 January 2025 at approximately 22:00, in Kaoletse village within the Witpoot policing area near Lephalale in the Waterberg District. According to police reports, the suspect, the victim’s mother, and a relative had left the victim and her siblings at the relative’s house while they went to a local tavern. It is alleged that the suspect left the two women at the tavern without being noticed and forcibly entered the house where the children were left alone. He then proceeded to rape the seven-year-old victim. Upon the relative’s return, she found the child awake and sitting in the dark, at which point the child disclosed what had transpired.
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A case was opened, but the suspect had already fled the area. After a lengthy investigation, Waterberg District and Lephalale Detectives, including the members of the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) conducted a tactical intelligence-driven operation resulting in the apprehension of the suspect in the same area on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at about 01:00. The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, strongly condemned the incident and issued a stern warning to parents and guardians. “This horrific case serves as a painful reminder that parents must always prioritize the safety and well-being of their children above all else. Children should never be left vulnerable or in situations where their safety is compromised,” said Lieutenant General Hadebe.
