Latest news with #LoraineEarle
The Citizen
04-08-2025
- The Citizen
Elderly couple assaulted, tied up on Free State farm: Suspects caught on same day as robbery
Elderly couple assaulted, tied up on Free State farm: Suspects caught on same day as robbery Two men were arrested shortly after an elderly couple were attacked, tied up and robbed on their Smithfield farm, in the Free State, yesterday. Bloemfontein Courant reports that the couple, aged 78 and 81, returned to their farm at around 13:30 when they were confronted by two suspects. According to Free State police spokesperson Captain Loraine Earle, the wife entered the house while her husband remained outside. 'While approaching the kitchen door, she was overpowered by two unknown suspects,' says Earle. 'They assaulted her, threatened her with knives, and forced her back to where her husband was still approaching the house. The suspects then forced both victims into the house and tied them up with cable ties.' The house was ransacked, phones, cash and jewellery stolen, and the husband was forced to transfer money. 'The suspects then pushed the husband into his own vehicle and drove off with him,' adds Earle. 'They later abandoned him in the driveway of the farm before fleeing the scene in the stolen vehicle.' The couple contacted neighbouring farmers and police. Two suspects, aged 29 and 36, were arrested on their way to Bethulie shortly afterwards. Police recovered the stolen cash and vehicle. Free State police commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane has assigned the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit to lead the investigation. Forensic experts have processed the scene. Earle confirms the suspects remain in custody and face charges of house robbery with aggravating circumstances, theft of a motor vehicle, and possession of suspected stolen property. Motswenyane commended the rapid response: 'The seamless co-operation between the community, our rural safety partners, and SAPS units ensured these suspects were taken off the streets before sunset. This is a textbook example of integrated rural safety,' she says. The investigation is ongoing. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on
The Citizen
25-06-2025
- The Citizen
Man sentenced for photographing minor in Bloemfontein school restroom
A 29-year-old man has been sentenced in the Bloemfontein Regional Court after he was caught secretly photographing a minor in a school restroom. Bloemfontein Courant reports that the incident occurred on February 29, 2024, during a school sports day in Bloemfontein. According to police spokesperson Captain Loraine Earle, two 12-year-old boys entered a restroom after an adult male unlocked the door for them. While they were relieving themselves, the man discreetly took a photo of one of them. 'The second boy saw the act and immediately alerted his friend,' says Earle. 'The suspect claimed it was a joke, deleted the image in front of them, and left the area.' The matter was reported to one of the boy's mothers, who was present at the event. The man was later identified by the children as a contract chef working in the school's hostel kitchen. A case of crimen injuria was opened at Park Road Police Station. Due to the nature of the offence, the case was transferred to Captain Bez Bezuidenhout of the Free State Serial and Electronic Crime Investigations Unit. 'During the investigation, Section 24(b) of the Films and Publications Act [65 of 1996] was added,' says Earle. 'This allowed for the charge of creating child sexual abuse material, and ensured the suspect would be listed on the National Register for Sex Offenders and banned from working with children.' The accused pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years' imprisonment on Friday, June 20, suspended for five years. The matter was prosecuted by Advocate Ronel Botha and presided over by Magistrate Zweni. Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane welcomed the outcome and praised the swift actions of the victims and the professional investigation that followed. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Herald
13-06-2025
- The Herald
Uncle sentenced to life in prison for rape he committed 13 years ago
The Bloemfontein regional court this week sentenced a 51-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping his 10-year-old niece in January 2012. The now 21-year-old woman disclosed the abuse to a social worker during a counselling session in August 2024. 'She reported that the accused was a trusted family member who began sexually abusing her when she was just 10-years-old, escalating from digital penetration to rape at a residence in Rocklands, Bloemfontein,' Free State police spokesperson Capt Loraine Earle said on Friday. It was revealed during sentencing that the accused was on parole for an earlier rape conviction at the time of the offence, 'an aggravating factor that underscored the court's decision to impose life imprisonment'. Free State police commissioner Lt-Gen Baile Motswenyane praised the team responsible for securing his conviction. 'Your dedication to a case which took place more than a decade ago is testament to an investigating officer who takes pride in bringing justice to a victim who was crippled with fear for years.' TimesLIVE
The South African
13-06-2025
- The South African
Nine arrested, four bakkies seized after looting of maize truck
Nine people were arrested for looting a maize truck that overturned on the N5 on its way to the Durban Harbour. Additionally, four bakkies that were used to load the maize meal were seized. The police were summoned to the scene where they discovered several community members looting and loading maize into the bakkies. Following the incident, more vehicles kept arriving at the scene and unlawfully removed the maize cargo. The Harrismith Public Order Police Unit arrested the nine suspects, aged 30 to 63, in possession of suspected stolen property. The four bakkies were loaded with maize estimated to be worth R90 000. Two police officers have been arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe from a liquor store in Harrismith, Free State. According to a police statement, the police officers visited the liquor store in March 2025 and presented themselves as officials from Bloemfontein. They claimed that they were conducting an inspection to verify the authenticity of the liquor being sold. After completing their inspection, the police officers allegedly demanded a R5000 bribe from the liquor store owner. The owner said that she only had R2 500, which the officers accepted. The Provincial Anti-Corruption Unit arrested the two suspects, aged 44 and 45 respectively, who are from Bethlehem Public Order Policing Unit. Captain Loraine Earle confirmed with The South African that the suspects appeared at the Harrismith Magistrate's Court today and their case was postponed to 18 June 2025 for them to apply for bail. The Provincial Commissioner of Police in the Free State, Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane, said that they will continue their fight against crime, even if SAPS members are involved.' 'We will continue to fight corruption relentlessly. If those involved are from within our own ranks, we will not hesitate to take decisive action. No one is above the law, and we remain committed to ensuring accountability and upholding the integrity of the SAPS,' said Motswenyane. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
26-04-2025
- The Citizen
Bloemfontein mother convicted for sexually assaulting minor son
The mother managed to avoid jail time after entering into a plea agreement. A 52-year-old Free State mother has been sentenced to correctional supervision for sexually abusing her minor son over the course of three years. The Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court handed down the five-year sentence on Thursday in terms of Section 276 (1)(h) of the Criminal Procedure act, after the woman pleaded guilty and entered into a plea agreement. Section 276 (1)(h) South African Police Service (Saps) regional spokesperson Captain Loraine Earle told The Citizen that a sentence under these circumstances entails strict supervision and rules regarding movement. 'Movement is limited and time is restricted. [Offenders] are also being restricted on consumption of alcohol,' Earle said. 'In summary, you are not in prison but you are being held inside your residence under strict rules and conditions and are being closely monitored.' ALSO READ: Gqeberha High Court hands down 11 life terms for man who raped six minor boys Disturbing case In a case Saps describes as disturbing, the Bloemfontein resident had reportedly been raping and sexually assaulting her now 16-year-old son several times between January 2020 and December 2023 since he was 12 years old. Earle said the boy had disclosed the abuse to a professional service provider during a consultation session in February 2024. '[This prompted] immediate investigation by Constable Jessica du Preez from the Parkroad Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit,' Earle added. Mother charged and arrested The mother was then charged with sexual assault and arrested on 25 May 2024, and the boy was placed in the care of his biological father. 'Although bail was initially opposed by the investigating officer, the court granted bail in the amount of R10 000 and the accused was subsequently released.' The mother's details will be entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders, and she has been declared unsuitable to work with children. NOW READ: Man sentenced to four life terms for raping four young boys
