Wednesday, 16 February 2023 was the third and final day set aside for sentencing in the PTA Porn Ring case at the Pretoria North Magistrate Court. Legal representatives and some family members were present to witness the sentencing of all 6 accused – a moment 12 years in the making.
Altogether, the group faced 53 charges of sexual abuse that happened between 2005 – 2010 primarily at the home of the grandparents. The charges and respective sentences per accused read as follows:
- Accused 1: The grandfather (70) was found guilty on counts 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 45, 46, and 50 which includes rape, sexual assault, compelled rape, and child abuse. He received 7 life sentences for rape and compelled rape, plus 5 or 10 years for each of the other charges.
- Accused 2: The grandmother (69) was found guilty on counts 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 28, 29, 30, 45, 46, and 50. This includes compelled rape, sexual assault, and observation of sexual acts. Similarly, she will serve 5 life sentences for rape and compelled rape, plus 5 years for each of the other charges.
- Accused 3 & 4: The first son and his wife were both given a 5-year suspended sentence for count 48 – child abuse, and another 3 years under corrective supervision for count 50 – the observation of sexual acts.
- Accused 8: The second son was found guilty on counts 15 and 32 which is rape and child abuse. He received 1 life sentence plus 5 years.
- Accused 9: The wife of accused 8 was found guilty on counts 15, 17, 20, 28, 29, 30, and 32 which include rape, compelled rape, child abuse, and forced sexual violation. She will serve 5 life terms for the two former charges and 10 years for the two latter charges.
Knowledge of the abuse first surfaced in 2010 when one of the younger victims unknowingly told his then pre-school teacher about what happens at home. The teacher then informed the police, which prompted the arrest of the accused. The children were immediately removed from their care and were placed either in a children’s home, with foster parents, or put up for adoption.
Accused 1 initially served 1 year in jail after the arrest, while accused 3 and 4 were in custody for 11 months. They were later released on R15 000 bail each, same as all the other accused.
The social workers asked to assess the children previously testified how each child is severely traumatized by what had happened to them over the years. But in recent years some of the children have had many positive experiences and opportunities – one of the boys was head boy at his school and subsequently received a study bursary, while another now has a steady job.
WMACA is very happy with today’s outcome and we applaud the court for this. The only concerns we have pertains to the sentencing of accused 3 and 4. It’s been proved that they knew about the abuse but didn’t report it. How then can the current relationship with their children be a mitigating factor when they observed abuse, but neglected their duty to protect? Secondly, the fact that the children are now doing well and have had positive experiences is in spite of the abuse, and they should be commended for their bravery. It is not because the abuse did them no harm.
We should not raise children that have to survive and overcome their childhoods.
For further comment, please contact:
Luke Lamprecht: 065 168 2971
Tania Otto: 076 415 7109
