Detailed evidence presented against Leano Vergotine in child rape case

The Western Cape High Court has heard  detailed evidence in the case of alleged child rapist and child pornography creator Leano Vergotine. 

At the centre of the State’s case is video evidence, which State Prosecutor Renée Uys explained depicts the accused  as sexually penetrating three child complainants. According to Uys the defence counsel did not dispute that the footage constituted child sexual abuse material, but challenged whether the acts involving child complainants 1 and 2 were non-consensual. The accused declined to comment on allegations involving child Complainant 3, who was nine at the time of the alleged rape.The State’s first witness testified that the accused brutally assaulted her after attempting to force her to submit to sexual intercourse.

According to her evidence, the accused threw her to the ground, jumped on her, and repeatedly kicked her. Photographic and documentary evidence submitted allegedly confirmed the extent of the injuries she had sustained.The witness stated that the accused was known to her as “Hanno”. Uys told the court that this assault complaint became the catalyst for the subsequent investigation involving child complainant 1 who was 16 at the time and is the only female involved.

The girl testified that she met the accused on the day in question and accompanied him to his one-bedroom dwelling, where another male was initially present. According to her evidence, the accused forced the other man to leave, threatened her with a knife, and demanded that she remove her clothing.When she refused, he allegedly undressed her himself.She testified that the accused photographed her genital area and raped her anally using both his penis and tongue.

The complainant told the court that she did not scream because the accused threatened to slit her throat. She further testified that she only later learned that the incident had been recorded after the State Advocate showed her the video footage during the investigation. A medico-legal examination recorded in documented injuries including perineal lacerations, anal tenderness, erythema, and pain on palpation.

The J88 report concluded that the complainant’s account correlated with findings consistent with anal penetration.The complainant’s first report witness also corroborated her version of events in a statement.Child Complainant 2, who was 15-years-old at the time of the alleged rape testified that he met the accused for the first time on 11 September 2022 while helping him collect parcels. During a second trip, the accused allegedly broke a bottle and threatened to kill him with the broken glass.

The complainant testified that he was forced to remove his pants, identify himself on camera, and submit to the recording of explicit footage. According to his testimony, the accused removed Vaseline from a bag, applied it to the complainant’s anus, and penetrated him anally while recording the encounter with a cellphone placed in a tree nearby.The mother of the boy later testified that police arrived at their home on 27 September 2022 and informed her that video footage allegedly depicting the sexual abuse of her child had been discovered.

The investigating officer testified that the accused was initially arrested in connection with the assault complaint and allegations involving Child Complainant 1. According to the officer, the accused later absconded before eventually being rearrested and imprisoned. While in custody, an informant alerted police to a flash drive allegedly in the accused’s possession.The flash drive was seized after child complainant 1 reported that the accused had taken photographs during the assault.The investigating officer testified that the device contained material, prompting investigators to trace and interview child complainants 2 and 3.

The State submitted the birth certificate of child complainant 3 confirming that the child was nine years old at the time of the alleged offences and legally incapable of consenting to sexual acts. Family members testified that the accused frequently fetched the child from home and appeared unusually insistent on spending time with him. One witness stated that the accused repeatedly assured family members that he would “look after” the child and often took him away from home for extended periods.

The mother of child complainant 3 testified that she only became aware of the allegations after police showed her portions of the video footage. She confirmed that the child depicted in the footage was her son.The accused testified that he knew the assault complainant socially and claimed he assaulted her only after she allegedly stole his cellphone, money, and alcohol.He denied kicking or jumping on her. Regarding child complainant 1, the accused admitted being with her but claimed the sexual encounter was consensual.

He denied threatening her with a knife and denied anal penetration. He also claimed he recorded the encounter because intoxicated individuals sometimes forget events afterward.In relation to child complainant 2, the accused testified that he “wanted to penetrate” the complainant and “couldn’t resist it”. He also admitted involvement in drug dealing and stated that he carried a firearm for protection.

The accused declined to address allegations relating to counts involving Child Complainant 3.In closing submissions, the State argued that the evidence presented including witness testimony, medical reports, statements, and video recordings formed a coherent evidentiary “jigsaw puzzle” proving the accused’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Prosecutors argued that the accused’s version evolved during the trial and contained inherent improbabilities and inconsistencies. Uys further submitted that the accused’s explanation of consent carried little weight, particularly in light of his admissions during cross-examination and the medical findings corroborating Child Complainant 1’s evidence

.“The evidence is overwhelmingly sufficient, to satisfy the court, beyond reasonable doubt." The case was postponed until  14 May 2026.