Soccer coach sentenced to 15 years

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: SOCCER COACH SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING THREE BOYS
A 43-year-old soccer coach, Edwin Sipho Soko, has been sentenced to an effective 15 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting, sexually exploiting and grooming three boys who were aged 8, 11 and 13 at the time of the offences.
The eMalahleni Regional Court sentenced Soko to five years’ imprisonment for each of three groups of charges, involving three counts each of sexual assault, sexual exploitation and sexual grooming.
The offences took place between September and October 2023 in eMalahleni.
The court heard that Soko had coached soccer since 2000 and ran his own team, which had around 60 players when he was arrested. He had earned the trust of families and community members and had even purchased a taxi to transport players.
However, the court found that Soko had abused the trust placed in him as a coach and used his position to further his own interests.
The victims reportedly suffered serious emotional and psychological consequences following the abuse, including anger, difficulties at school and problems trusting others.
Soko denied the allegations and claimed that the complainants were not members of his soccer team. The court noted that he showed no remorse and accepted no responsibility for the offences.
The court also emphasised the constitutional rights of children to have their dignity protected and to be protected from abuse and exploitation.
In addition to the prison sentence, Soko was declared unfit to possess a firearm and ordered to be placed on the National Register for Sex Offenders, barring him from working with children.
📍 eMalahleni, Mpumalanga | South Africa