Ficksburg:A man has been sentenced to two life terms of imprisonment by the Ficksburg Regional Court for the rape of two young children. The accused, Kamal Ebrahim, was convicted on two counts of rape involving victims aged seven and eight at the time of the incident on January 26, 2020.
According to South African Government News Agency, Ebrahim initially pleaded guilty to both charges on October 16, 2024, but later changed his plea to not guilty, claiming he was under the influence of drugs during the offenses. Subsequently, he failed to provide proper instructions to his attorney and underwent a 30-day psychiatric evaluation, which determined his fitness to stand trial.
He was eventually found guilty on both counts, and on October 9, 2026, the court sentenced him to life imprisonment for each count. Lieutenant General Thabang Lesia, the Provincial Commissioner of the Free State, praised the sentence and commended Sergeant Kobeli of Ficksburg SAPS for his thorough investigation, which helped bring justice for the victims.
