The Morebeng Regional Court in Limpopo sentenced a 40-year-old man from Mokomene to life imprisonment after convicting him on a charge of rape.
The name of the rapist is withheld to protect the identity of the abused minor child, aged 11.
“The court further ordered that his name be entered into the national register of sex offenders and national child protection register,” said Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, Limpopo regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The accused man had pleaded not guilty in court, and the State led evidence of witnesses.
“They stated that on August 3, 2022, in Mokomene, the accused called the victim from the street and requested her to go and buy cigarettes for him at the shop. She then left her school bag. Upon her return, she handed the cigarettes to the accused man and further requested him to hand her school bag back,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
“Instead, he grabbed her and took her to his bedroom where her threatened her with a knife. The accused then raped the victim and promised her R2 to silence her.”
The NPA said after the rape ordeal, the 40-year-old man instructed the little girl to wash her underwear when she got home.
The victim met her mother along the way, and she narrated the ordeal to her parent.
“The mother then took her to a police station where a case was opened and the accused was immediately arrested. The State led oral evidence of the mother as the first report and the J88 report was also handed in,” said Malabi-Dzhangi.
In aggravation of sentence, the State prosecutor Mohlatlhego Mphasha highlighted the seriousness and prevalence of gender-based violence, scourge of child rape, and the fact that these offences are increasing at an alarming rate.
Mphasha also submitted that courts should send a stern warming, proving that such behaviour cannot be tolerated, and that bodily integrity and the right to freedom and dignity of any person should be protected.
Meanwhile, the NPA has welcomes the sentence.
Director of public prosecutions in Limpopo, Advocate Ivy Thenga has applauded prosecutor Mphasha and the investigating officer, Sergeant Kwena Julia Shilajwe from the family violence and sexual offence (FCS) unit “for the good work done and restoring the dignity of the victim”.
IOL