An 18-year-old male was arrested on a charge of statutory rape in Colesberg on Tuesday, 26 May 2026, and is expected to appear in court soon.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Litabe said it was alleged that the suspect had sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl, and the girl fell pregnant.
Litabe explained that the arrest follows the opening of a statutory rape case at the local police station after the pair were reportedly involved in a romantic relationship dating back to January 2025.
“It is alleged that the suspect was initially unaware of the victim’s age and only became aware of it later during the relationship.
“In December 2025, it was further discovered that the girl was five months pregnant,”said Litabe.
“In South Africa, it is a criminal offence for an adult to engage in sexual activities with a child below the legal age of consent, regardless of whether the child consented or not. The legal age of consent is 16 years.”
He elaborated that the South African Police Service remains highly concerned about the increasing number of statutory rape cases that often go unreported. Many children are manipulated, coerced, or groomed by older individuals, which constitutes a serious criminal offence.
Comments are closed.