A Free State man has been slapped with a five-year jail term for statutory rape after his relationship with a teenage girl was exposed.
The 30-year-old was arrested in July 2022 after the girl’s father stumbled upon messages of a “sexual nature” between the 15-year-old teen and the man.
“Upon seeing these messages, which clearly showed his daughter had been engaging in sexual activities, the father reported the incident at Bloemspruit police station,” Free State police spokesperson Sgt Ikobeng Hlubi said.
“After the report, the man was arrested the next day at his house in Bloemspruit.
“The accused attended trial until his freedom was cut short on Tuesday when the Bloemfontein magistrate’s court found him guilty and sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment for statutory rape.”
The man will also be added to the national register of sex offenders, which prohibits him from working with children.
Source TimesLIVE
