01 May 2025

A rape convict, Tshepiso Letsididi, was yesterday pronounced guilty for raping yet another minor in Mmopane four years ago. 

Letsididi (37) was convicted of rape by Magistrate Gofaone Morweng of Broadhurst Magistrate’s Court, after he had during the previous day changed his plea from not guilty to guilty, just when the trial was to commence.  He was facing a single charge of raping a 15-year-old girl in Mmopane in 2021. 

“He has unequivocally satisfied the facts as presented and he shall therefore be found guilty of the offence of rape,” Magistrate Morweng said, after Letsididi admitted to the agreed summary of facts and reaffirming through questions posed by the magistrate. 

Magistrate Morweng ordered that the convict return to court on May 8 for mitigation and sentencing, after the prosecutor, Ms Seeletso Ookeditse, made an application to have the convict’s previous criminal records checked.  According to the agreed summary of facts as read in court, Letsididi and the victim were at the time of the occurrence residing in Mmopane and the victim was a Form Three learner.

On the day of the rape, while walking on her way from school, she passed through a secluded area and saw an unknown man having a phone conversation, who after crossing paths grabbed her from behind, choked her and demanded money and a phone. 

Letsididi is said to have dragged the victim deep into the bush, where he raped her. The victim upon arriving at home reported the matter to her mother, and subsequently to the police. Letsididi was then arrested the following day, and his blood samples matched the DNA samples found on the victim’s body. 

The prosecution submitted before the court that Letsididi acted unlawfully by having sexual intercourse with the victim without her consent, something that he too admitted. Letsididi’s latest conviction comes almost two weeks after he was convicted by Mochudi Magistrate’s Court for raping an eight-year-old minor in Rasesa three years ago, after he managed to snatch her from her guardian’s attention. 

He is awaiting sentence in the matter. Letsididi, who hails from Kgope, also has another pending rape, robbery and theft of a motor vehicle case before Mochudi Magistrate’s Court, as well as another rape case before Molepolole Magistrate’s Court and murder charges before the High Court. ENDS