A former Eastern Cape Department of Education subject advisor has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a six-year-old girl.
The High Court in Mthatha sentenced 58-year-old Louis Pepping to a lifetime behind bars on Friday for the crime which took place in Ngobozana Locality in the district of Lusikisiki in September 2019.
Pepping is currently serving a four-year prison term for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old learner in June 2021 while out on bail.
Delivering judgement, Acting Judge Mvuzo Notyesi agreed with the State that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence of life for raping a minor.
The National Prosecuting Authority says Judge Notyesi noted that Pepping never showed any remorse and was unimpressed by the evidence presented in mitigation of sentence - that he was a church elder and has four children whose names he does not even know.
The court concurred with the prosecution that Pepping is a highly educated man who should have known better.
It also ordered that his name be entered into the national register of sex offenders.
