A 35-year-old man has been convicted on four counts of rape and sexual grooming.
The Modimolle regional court convicted Ephraim Malose Motebele on Monday.
According to Limpopo directorate of public prosecutions spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, the court heard that from August 28 2017, Motebele used the 15-year-old complainant to lure other young girls between the ages of 9 and 15. He operated in the Baipeing Phagameng area.
"He would then let them sniff glue and while they were in an intoxicated state, he would take turns raping them," said Malabi-Dzhangi.
He was arrested on September 17 2017, after one of the girl's brothers found her "lying in the street".
"She woke up and pointed the place where she was kept. The police were alerted to the scene and the accused was arrested in his shack with other young girls," said Malabi-Dzhangi.
Although Motebele pleaded not guilty, DNA evidence linked him to the crimes.
Advocate Doria Keulder Groenewald said the victims would live with the memory of the incident for the rest of their lives.
The court sentenced Motebele to 30 years for rape and 10 years for sexual grooming. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
- TimesLIVE
