Qacha’s Nek, Feb. 19 — Chief Tsokotsa Mosoeu of Ha-Letsoha, a gazetted headman, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison without the option of a fine for raping a 15-year-old girl.
The ruling by Magistrate ’Mampho Mokoena of Qacha’s Nek Magistrate Court follows Mosoeu’s conviction for sexually assaulting the teenager multiple times in 2022.
The assaults resulted in pregnancy and forced the girl to drop out of school in Grade 8, cutting short her education and changing the course of her life.
The court heard that the abuse began in Mosoeu’s home and later continued at his shop in Qhoalinyane. He was charged under Section 8(1) read with Section 32 of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2003.
After delivering the verdict, Magistrate Mokoena informed Mosoeu of his right to appeal the conviction or sentence within 14 days.
During the court proceedings, the victim said she was sent to Mosoeu’s shop by her grandparents in Ha-Letsoha during the day. After she bought her items, Mosoeu placed them in a plastic bag, moved to the other side of the counter, pulled her aside, and took her behind the counter.
“He pressed my tummy and pushed me down behind the counter without any communication. He then pulled off my pants and panties and raped me unprotected,” the victim said.
She added that after the assault, “he pulled off me and then gave me the plastic bag and I went home.” She said fear prevented her from reporting the incident immediately. When her grandmother later confronted Mosoeu about the pregnancy, he reportedly did not deny responsibility and said he would maintain the child.
Chief Makoko Makoae of Patlong, Ha Sekake advised the family telephonically to report the matter to Sekake Police Station after Mosoeu denied the allegations during a family meeting.
Mosoeu pleaded not guilty to the charge. Following the victim’s testimony and the conclusion of the trial, Mosoeu was found guilty and sentenced. He later asked the court for mercy, citing his work assisting orphans with scholarships and helping villagers access grants.
“My absence has caused them not to go to school,” he said. “I am not there for my family, and I assist villagers with grants. I am implicated because the child was used to have me removed from headmanship. May I get the court’s mercy.”
On June 9, 2023, Resident Magistrate Mokoena had released Mosoeu on bail of M400, on condition that he attend remand hearings, stand trial to finality, and not interfere with Crown witnesses, particularly the complainant.
Senior Crown Counsel Tsotang Maile did not object to the bail application but requested that Mosoeu maintain a distance of at least 15 metres from the victim.
A warrant of arrest was later issued after Mosoeu failed to comply with bail conditions and did not attend court proceedings to finality on October 17, 2025.
Speaking to the Agency, Chief Makoae welcomed the sentence and did not hide his disappointment.
“I am deeply saddened by what happened,” he said. “Such actions stain the dignity of chieftainship and destroy people’s trust, especially when children are involved.”
He said the conviction should serve as a clear warning to all leaders and men that authority must never be abused, as they are responsible for protecting children and vulnerable members of the community.
“As a person with a wife, what he did is horrible,” he added, urging men and leaders to remember their duty to safeguard others from abuse.
He described Mosoeu as a “dishonest person.”
The sentence clearly conveys that no one, regardless of status, is above the law. For the victim, whose education and childhood were disrupted, the ruling marks a measure of accountability. For the community, it is a reminder that leadership must be rooted in integrity, not abuse of power.
Ends/MM/tl
