A 34-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Bloemfontein High Court for the rape of a 11-year-old primary school girl in 2006.

The convicted rapist, Kienkie Flip Mafotha, was handed the heavy sentence this week after he was found guilty on rape charges last month.

Police say the incident took place on October 15 in 2006. The victim was alone at her home in Bainsvlei outside the city when the accused arrived at the house. He was well-known to the victim and a family friend.

After he established the girl’s parents are not home he threatened to strangle her and forcefully took her to the bedroom where he raped her.

He threaten to kill her if she would report the incident to anyone, but the victim broke her silence and reported her ordeal to a teacher four days later. The accused was traced by the police and arrested the same day.

Police says the convicted rapist then skipped bail and disappeared for period of four years until he was re-arrested in June 2011. He remained in custody until his trial ended in June this year.

The court also ordered that his name be registered in the sexual offences register.

The Acting Cluster Commander for Parkweg, Brigadier Khothatso Ramokotjo, applauded the investigating officer, WO Arleen Snyman, for her sterling work in ensuring the accused got what he deserved after an eight – year long investigation.

Ramokotjo added that crimes against women and children should be viewed as a serious transgression and this conviction showed that the wheel of justice is indeed in motion to grind anyone with the malicious intent to harm women and children.

POLICE PRESS RELEASE