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By Nicholas Zaal

Journalist


Elderly man arrested for raping girl 74 years younger than him

The 82-year-old man was charged with raping the girl after she revealed it to adults during a school meeting.


An 82-year-old man has appeared at the Petrusburg Magistrate’s Court facing charges of rape involving a young girl.

The elderly accused appeared in court after the eight-year-old victim identified him during a meeting at the primary school she attended in the Free State.

ALSO READ: 27-year-old man arrested for allegedly raping 101-year-old granny

A regular occurrence

The police’s Sergeant Sinah Mpakane revealed that during the school meeting, in which the victim was present, a parent spoke for her, telling a teacher that there was a certain girl who regularly went to the suspect’s house and slept with him.

“The case was reported to the police and the suspect was apprehended,” Mpakane said. 

“The case was referred to the Jacobsdal Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for further investigation.”

The accused is still in custody, pending the outcome of the bail application, which will continue next Thursday, 22 August.

More rape cases in SA

Last week, the Mbombela Sexual Offences Court convicted and sentenced Titus Cain Khoza, 35, to life imprisonment for raping and impregnating his 14-year-old mentally impaired sister-in-law.

Khoza was married to the victim’s sister and resided with her and the girl in Barberton.

When the accused’s wife went out, he raped and impregnated the girl. The matter was reported and the suspect was arrested, convicted and sentenced.

Meanwhile, civil organisation Action Society’s volunteers are assisting a rape survivor who was allegedly raped by a photographer who was well-known in the Paarl region.

“He used his influence and reputation to lure the 19-year-old aspiring model to a secluded area, where he drugged and raped her during a photo session,” the Action Society said.

The matter was heard on 12 August 2024, and the attorney was finally present after postponements that lasted nearly two years.

“However, we find it unacceptable that we have to wait a whole year for the trial to start on 18 Aug 2025.”

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