A 12-YEAR-OLD girl went to a friend’s home in Wesselsbron expecting to see her.
Instead, she found her friend’s father alone – and he raped her.
The Wesselsbron Regional Court in the Free State has sentenced 66-year-old William Sehloho to life imprisonment for the attack, which took place on 15 December 2025.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the child’s 11-year-old brother went looking for her when she took longer than expected to return home.
He witnessed the rape.
The girl’s friend was away when she arrived at the house.
At sentencing, the court heard about the trauma the child experienced following the attack through a victim impact statement compiled with the assistance of court preparation officer Rosy Gaopalelwe Sebego.
Prosecutor Jeaffrey Gundo Siphugu argued that the seriousness of the offence and the lasting harm inflicted on the girl warranted the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
He submitted that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a lesser sentence.
The prosecution also emphasised that rape violated victims’ dignity and fundamental rights, with particularly devastating consequences for children who depended on adults for care and protection.
The court accepted the State’s arguments and imposed a life sentence.
Welcoming the sentence, the NPA’s Free State division urged communities to report sexual offences, support survivors and work together to protect children from abuse.