After being on trial since 2015, former model agency boss Dawie de Villiers was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday for rape and 162 years for 24 other counts he faced, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has said.
De Villiers faced, among others, charges of rape, sexual assault, indecent assault, sexual grooming as well as the possession and accessing of child pornography. He committed the crimes between 2008 and 2013.
He also raped and sexually assaulted several teenage girls between 2011 and 2012. Among the charges he faced was the rape of a 15-year-old girl in 2011.
READ: Model boss pleads not guilty to 38 charges
The Kempton Park model boss had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Gauteng NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane confirmed to News24 that De Villiers was sentenced in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
In February 2017, De Villiers was found guilty on 32 of 38 charges. He also faced charges of fraud and theft relating to him having obtained large amounts of money from people and not delivering as promised as an agent.
During the course of the trial, one of the minors involved testified the Kempton Park businessman had asked her to undress in front of him, News24 previously reported.
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