After evading police for almost 12 years, a convicted rapist has finally been arrested.
Image: SAPS
A convicted rapist from the Free State who has spent nearly 12 years evading sentencing has finally been rearrested.
Kenneth Lepota, 36, from Tseseng Village in Qwaqwa, was arrested on Friday, July 3, after a community member spotted him upon his return to the village. The community member alerted the investigating officer, and he was immediately arrested.
According to police, Lepota was convicted of rape alongside two co-accused in 2014 but failed to appear in court for his sentencing and had been on the run ever since.
One of the co-accused, Morena Mokoena, is currently serving a life sentence for the rape, while the third co-accused passed away before he could be sentenced.
“On April 6, 2011, at approximately 12.45am, a 26-year-old woman from Tseseng Village was walking home from a local tavern with a friend when they were confronted by three men. The suspects forcefully grabbed the victim, dragged her into nearby bushes, and raped her,” police said.
The woman was able to identify all three perpetrators.
“The suspects were subsequently arrested, prosecuted, and convicted of rape in 2014 at the Tseseng Magistrate's Court. They were released on bail pending sentencing. Before sentencing could take place, one of the accused died. Morena Mokoena was later sentenced to life imprisonment, while Kenneth Lepota absconded and remained in hiding after failing to appear in court for sentencing,” police said.
Lepota is expected to appear before the Tseseng Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, for sentencing following his conviction on the charge of rape.
The Free State Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thabang Lesia, commended the community member for providing valuable information that led to the arrest.
"The public remains the eyes and ears of the police. This arrest demonstrates the importance of community cooperation in ensuring that offenders are brought to justice, regardless of how much time has passed. We hope this development will bring a measure of closure to the victim and her family," Lesia said.
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