Mohale's Hoek, July.26---The Magistrate court  has on Wednesday sentenced a 36 years old man from Ha-Sechele to 10 years imprisonment without an option of fine, after finding him guilty of contravening section 8 of  Sexual Offences  Act 2003.

According to the evidence brought before the court, in March 2023 Rets'elisitsoe Mathebeng sexually assaulted a 5 year old girl whom he has been cohabiting with her mother, who failed to report the incident to the police even though she knew about it.

When pleading for a lenient sentence Mathebeng begged the court to forgive him, noting that no one caught him sexually assaulting the girl.

When passing the judgement Magistrate Selebeleng Selebeleng highlighted that Mathebeng has broken the trust which the victim had in him, therefore giving him harsh sentences will serve as an example to others who are committing similar crimes.

The victim's mother had in June, 06 been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment  without an option of fine after being found guilty of the same charge.

Section  8 (1) read with (a), (b), and (c) indicates that a person commits an offence if he intentionally incites another (B) to engage in an activity, and that activity is sexual and (B) is under 13.

The case was before Magistrate Selebeleng Selebeleng, prosecuted by Mats'episo Masithela.

Furthermore, the same court has sentenced a 30 year old man from Holy Cross to 15 years imprisonment without an option of fine after finding him guilty of contravening  section 8 (1), read with 23 (a) (vi), Sextual offence No:3 of 2003.

The court heard that Thabang Makoetlane had sexually assaulted a 15 years old girl at Letsatseng in March 2023 after the girl had accompanied her friend to her boyfriend's place, and the boyfriend handed over the victim to Makoetlane who raped her several times at night.

This case was before Magistrate 'Mapalesa Rantja, prosecuted by    Molapo Letsie.