The Bloemfontein High Court has sentenced a 57-year-old lawyer, Jan Gysbert Maritz for various sexual offences against five minors.
According to the Free State police spokesperson, Mahlomola Kareli, Jan is set to face a total of the fixed-term sentences amounting to 61 years imprisonment that will be served alongside the three life sentences.
The case was initially reported in 2019, after the mother of the two victims reported that her daughters had told her that they were sexually abused by their stepfather. “The comprehensive investigation uncovered a deeply disturbing pattern of abuse that occurred over a decade, from 2007 to 2017 where five minor victims, all under the age of 14, fell prey to the accused, his two step-daughters, a niece visiting from Cape Town, and two friends of the step-daughters. The youngest victim was just seven years old when the abuse began,” Kareli explained.
He further added that evidence was brought forward in court indicating that the perpetrator sexually groomed the victims, exposed them to pornographic images, sexually assaulted them, and digitally raped three of the victims. “He further compounded his crimes by recording some of the abuse, leading to his conviction for the production of child pornography,” Kareli added.
Jan Gysbert Maritz was found guilty on the following charges:
• Life imprisonment for rape x 3
• Indecent assault – 5 years Imprisonment
• Sexual grooming: 8 years imprisonment x 2
• Exposure of pornography to a child: 5 years imprisonment x 2
• Sexual exploitation of a child: 5 years imprisonment x 1
• Production of child Pornography: 5 years imprisonment x 1
• Sexual assault: 3 years imprisonment x 5
• Compelled sexual assault: 5 years imprisonment x 1
Compiled by Clement Matroos
