De aar: The relentless efforts of two dedicated detectives from De Aar have resulted in a substantial sentence for a child rapist, ensuring justice for his young victims.
According to South African Police Service, the Northern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola, together with the Pixley ka Seme District Commissioner, Major General Nomana Mthukushe, welcomed the 263-year prison sentence handed down to a 48-year-old man from Victoria West for heinous sexual offences committed against young children in 2016.
The case came to light when a 10-year-old girl reported incidents of sexual assault to her mother, who immediately alerted the De Aar Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit. Detectives Captain Wietz Coetzee and Captain Salomie Coetzee initiated a thorough investigation into the allegations.
Subsequently, two additional victims, an 8-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, came forward, reporting similar offences. The accused was arrested on 9 March 2016, but was later released on bail.
Further investigation led to a search of his residence, where evidence of child pornography was recovered and seized, resulting in additional charges being added to the case.
The trial was initially set to commence in July 2020, but the accused absconded and fled the Pixley ka Seme District. He was circulated as a wanted suspect nationwide until July 2023, when information led to his arrest in the Western Cape. After being on the run for three years, he was finally re-arrested on 21 July 2023.
Following several delays and legal challenges, the accused was convicted and sentenced in the De Aar Regional Court on 31 October 2025.
He faced 79 charges, including:
– Rape for which he received life imprisonment,
– Attempted rape,
– Sexual assault,
– Sexual grooming,
– Causing a child to witness sexual acts,
– Causing a child to witness self-masturbation,
– Displaying pornography to a child,
– Exposure of genital organs to a child, and
– Possession of child pornography.
The combined sentences amount to 263 years’ imprisonment, which will run concurrently. Additionally, his name will be entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders, and he was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Lieutenant General Otola commended the investigating team for their dedication, perseverance, and professionalism, which ensured that the accused was tracked down, arrested, and convicted.
She reiterated that crimes against women and children remain a top priority for the South African Police Service, and that no effort will be spared in ensuring that perpetrators who prey on the vulnerable face the full might of the law.
