NPA welcomes conviction of Cape Town lawyer charged with statutory rape
The court convicted Theo Hartzenberg for luring homeless teenagers into beach huts at the Muizenberg Beach, where he would pay them for sexual favours.
Picture: Pixabay
CAPE TOWN - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the conviction of a Cape Town lawyer charged with statutory rape and sexual exploitation of a child.
Wednesday the Wynberg Regional Court found lawyer Theo Hartzenberg guilty on a count of statutory rape, a count of sexual exploitation of a child and a count of engaging in sexual services of a person not 18 years or older.
The court convicted Hartzenberg for luring homeless teenagers into the beach huts at Muizenberg Beach, where he would pay them for sexual favours.
NPA Spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the state is seeking a hefty sentence for Hartzenberg.
"The state will ask the court to impose the maximum sentence of the prescribed minimum sentence for the charge of sexual exploitation of children which is 15 years direct imprisonment. The state preferred more than 20 charges against Hartzenberg, and he pleaded not guilty to all of them when he appeared at the Wynberg Regional Court."