The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) tells OFM News the 59-year-old Shadrack Lorole Motsoeneng, who was prosecuted and convicted on nine counts of rape, sexual assault, attempted extortion and corruption, died in a car accident unbeknownst to IPID, before he could not be sentenced for his crimes. 

IPID acting spokesperson, Grace Langa, says the sentencing for the head of the family and sexual offences unit at the Mafube Police Station  in Frankfort was scheduled to take place on 6 December, and this is where they found out Motsoeneng was now deceased as of late 2020. OFM News’ Olebogeng Motse reports that now that the convicted police officer is no longer alive, the sexual assault and rape case has been formally closed.

Over the course of 2020, Motsoeneng sexually violated minors aged 11 and 17-years-old respectively, as well as an unnamed adult woman. The background of this matter is that the 17-year-old girl, accompanied by the 11-year-old, went to the Mafube Police Station to open a case against the unnamed adult woman’s boyfriend. Motsoeneng is said to have forced both minors into sexual encounters, promising to ensure that the case is a success. After conducting investigations and tracking down the suspect he then pressured the adult woman into having sex on account that he would make the 17-year-old girl’s rape case go away and keep her boyfriend out of jail.

Ultimately, it was the adult woman who opened a case against Motsoeneng after he demanded more sexual encounters with her. IPID says whilst the case is now closed, they will be probing the circumstances around the police captain’s sudden death. The sentencing would have occurred amidst the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (GBV) in the country.

OFM News