Two life sentences for man who raped two sisters aged 7 and 9

The Brandfort Regional Court has sentenced a 41-year-old man to two life terms behind bars for raping two sisters, aged 9 and 7, in 2010.

Mojalefa Seleke was sentenced on Monday, Free State National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phaladi Shuping said.

According to Shuping, Seleke lured the young girls to a church and raped them on different occasions.

“Seleke’s grandfather was responsible for the safekeeping of the church keys. Seleke would take the church keys as if he is going to clean the church,” Shuping said.

Seleke first raped the 9-year-old girl and offered her a yoghurt, and asked her not to tell anyone.

He later raped the 7-year-old and gave her a packet of potato chips to buy her silence, Shuping said.

“The family of the 9-year-old girl saw behavioural changes in her, but they could not figure out what was happening as she was not telling them what is wrong. Months later, her mother discovered a written piece of paper in her room that raised suspicions that she may have been violated. She still did not tell her mother when she asked her about what she had written.

“Months later, the 9-year-old girl overheard her 7-year-old sister telling her friends what Seleke did to her. She realised that he not only violated her, but he also violated her younger sister. She reported the incident to her parents and the accused was arrested.”

Seleke denied raping the sisters.

However, after hearing evidence from the victims, the court sentenced him to two life terms on each count.

The sentence will run concurrently.

The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be included on the National Register for Sex Offenders.

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