EASTERN CAPE – The acting Sarah Baartman District Commissioner, Brigadier John Lebok has welcomed the life sentence that was handed down today, Wednesday, 17 November 2021 by the Gqeberha High Court in a murder and rape case that occurred during December 2019 in Storms River.

According to testimony, the 16-year-old Allisandre Floors was seen in the presence of her uncle, Francois Thorne on the same day (22 December 2019 at about 17:00) that she disappeared.  A missing person’s report was opened at the local police station on 23 December 2019, and the search for Allisandre continued.  On 26 December 2019, the community of Storms River, confronted Thorne and the local police had to step in and remove him from the community for his own safety.  After thorough investigations detectives established that Thorne knew where Allisandre’s body was and he confessed that he raped and killed her.  A case of murder and rape was immediately opened and Thorne was arrested on the said charges.  Thorne remained in custody until his sentencing.

The accused, the 43year-old Francois Thorne, who is related to the 16 year-old victim, was sentenced to life imprisonment on the first count of murder and 15 years imprisonment on the second count of rape.  The sentences will run concurrently.

Brigadier John Lebok commended the investigating officers for the effective and efficient manner in which they performed their investigations. “This conviction and lengthy sentence meted out by our courts are as a result of thorough investigations by our detectives, who gathered all relevant evidence to successfully link the offender to the crime”.  Brigadier Lebok also thanked the Court for the effective sentencing that was handed down.

Source: South African Police Service