COUNCILLOR CHARGED WITH STATUTORY RAPE ABANDONS BAIL
The Orkney Magistrates’ Court postponed the case against Tebogo Sepale (43), a Councillor at the Matlosana Local Municipality, to 24 August 2023, for further investigations. He was due to register a formal bail application but opted to abandon it, following consultations with his attorney. The state is now awaiting the conclusion of investigations to possibly add more charges against the accused in preparation for trial.
He is facing 11 provisional charges, two for statutory rape, three for the violation of a child with consent, one for manufacturing pornographic material, four for rape and one for sexual intimidation.
His court appearance emanates from a report by the police indicating that the Klerksdorp Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, was investigating a case of crimen injuria, and two separate counts of statutory rape, after they were reported at Kanana police station, respectively.
In one of the cases, the suspect allegedly shared a nude pictures with the complainant, in the second and separate case, but involving the same suspect, two counts of statutory rape were laid on Saturday 6 May 2023, by the parents of two boys aged 15 and 17. He will remain in police custody until his next court appearance.
