The Nelspruit Regional Court yesterday sentenced a 22-year-old Mozambican, who was convicted of raping a four-year-old girl, to life in jail.

Lowvelder reports that the man lived in Msholozi.

According to the provincial spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority, Monica Nyuswa, the accused’s name has been withheld to protect the victim’s identity.

He was convicted of rape and contravening the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, following an incident that occurred on July 18, 2022, in Msholozi, near White River in Mpumalanga.

“The victim’s father sent her to the accused’s house to find his brother, where she found the accused alone. He lured her into his bedroom, undressed her, and raped her. The incident surfaced when the victim’s mother inquired about her whereabouts. The child emerged crying, reporting pain in [her] genitals and identifying the accused as the perpetrator,” Nyuswa said.

She added that the mother said the child’s clothes were dishevelled and she noticed semen on the child’s thighs. When confronted, the accused denied the allegations and fled.

The victim was taken to Rob Ferreira Thuthuzela Care Centre for a medical examination and support. Once a police case was opened, the accused was arrested. His bail was denied. In court, he pleaded not guilty, alleging the victim’s father fabricated the claims out of spite.

State Prosecutor Zamo Mathebula presented credible testimony from the victim, supported by intermediary services, police reports, DNA analysis, and a J88 medical report confirming the victim’s injuries. The court rejected the accused’s defence as unbelievable.

In aggravation of sentencing, Mathebula argued that rape is a heinous crime that destroys victims’ physical and mental integrity, and argued for a mandatory life sentence.

Magistrate Vanessa Joubert sentenced the man to life imprisonment for rape and two years for contravention of the Immigration Act. The court additionally declared him unfit to possess a firearm, unsuitable to work with children, and ordered his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

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