01 Nov 2016

 Raosualala Seoseng who refused to take part in his trial and walked out of court will spend the next 10 years behind bars after being sentenced for rape on Friday.

After the court advised him of his rights, he elected not to be part of the proceedings and the trial continued in his absentia.

Jwaneng magistrate, Ms Basetsana Keakantse said section 142 sub-section 1 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act provides that any person who is convicted of rape shall be sentenced to a minimum of 10 years imprisonment or a maximum of life imprisonment.

She said the accused did not mitigate nor submit any extenuating circumstances that could render the imposition of the minimum sentence inappropriate.

She said the accused declined to do so because he said he could not comment on the trial he did not participate on.

“The court will however use the information presented before court and the charge sheet in sentencing the accused.

According to the charge sheet, the accused was 30 years old during committal of the offence,” she said.

Magistrate Keakantse said the record also showed that the accused had a previous conviction of rape  dating back to 2009 which he claimed that he was  discharged and acquitted of the same by the High Court.

However, the High Court availed an order that advised the magistrate court that the accused was not discharged of the said offence, but the sentence was to run concurrently with the one he was serving.

“Though the accused has a previous conviction of rape, the court would want to give him a chance to mould his destructive behaviour and ultimately contribute meaningfully to the society.  The accused is therefore sentenced to a minimum sentence of 10 years and it should be backdated from the time he was remanded in custody awaiting his trial,” said Ms Keakantse.

Seoseng’s non-appearance in the previous mentions cost him his bail.

It was revoked after he was arrested after missing two appearances which forced the state to withdraw his case until he was arrested on January 28, 2016.

At that time, Seoseng however said he was told by one CID officer that the October 22, 2015 mention was cancelled and he will come and update him about the next mention.

When quizzed whether he wanted to call the said officer to testify on the allegations, he declined stating that it was not worth it because the officer failed to inform him about the next appearance.

His bail was ultimately revoked and he was kept in custody. Seoseng was charged with rape, where he allegedly had unlawful canal knowledge with a woman without her consent on November 09, 2014 at Rapeitane lands.  ENDS