Pretoria police have confirmed that a 19-year-old college student has been charged with statutory rape after allegedly having sex with a 12-year-old girl in Sunnyside on Monday evening.

Captain Daniel Mavimbela said the report they had suggested that the offence took place inside the bathroom of the victim’s home.

He said the victim’s mother arrived home at about 6pm to find her daughter in the bathroom with the suspect.

Mavimbela said when she arrived‚ the mother found her younger daughter alone in the house and when she enquired where her sister was‚ she pointed the bathroom.

She noticed the suspect peeing through the bathroom door‚ which was slightly open.

Mavimbela said moments later‚ the suspect allegedly sprinted out of the bathroom and ran out of the house.

“The suspect‚ who resides at the same premises as the victim‚ was arrested on Monday night soon after the incident was reported to the local police‚” he said.

Mavimbela said communities should take into cognisance that though the age of sexual consent was lowered to twelve‚ this only applied to sex between youngsters between the ages of 12 and 15.

“Young adults (18 and 19) will be held criminally liable for engaging in sexual activities with minors below the age of 16‚” he warned.

The suspect will appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on a charge of statutory rape