The court ruled that the man’s guilt was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
A man in his 40s, serving a life sentence for repeatedly raping a young girl, has failed to overturn his conviction and sentence.
The Western Cape High Court in Cape Town dismissed Songezo Wulana’s appeal, confirming both the guilty verdict and the life imprisonment imposed by the Parow Regional Court.
Wulana, from Delft in Cape Town, was convicted in October 2024 following a trial in which he denied the charges.
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Evidence presented in court showed that he raped the victim on multiple occasions during 2022.
In his appeal, heard in November 2025, the convicted rapist argued that the regional magistrate had erred in concluding that the state had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
He further contended that the court failed to properly consider substantial circumstances that would have justified a lesser sentence than life imprisonment.
Victim’s recollection of events
During the trial, the state presented testimony from four witnesses.
Wulana took the stand in his own defence, but did not present any witnesses.
The court also admitted various documentary evidence, including a medical expert’s report, Wulana’s warning statement, the victim’s birth certificate, and pre-sentencing reports.
The state called a young girl, born in July 2011, as its first witness.
She gave her testimony in-camera, assisted by an intermediary. At the time, she was 12 years old and in Grade 5.
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She explained that she had known Wulana since early childhood, as he lived nearby in Delft.
The complainant recounted that the first incident occurred one Sunday in October, while her mother was at church and she was at home with her younger sister.
The now 14-year-old victim recalled that Wulana once called her to his home and sent her out to buy a soft drink.
Upon her return, he raped her and gave her R20. She did not report the incident at the time because she was afraid.
Father intervenes
Similar episodes occurred on at least two other occasions, until her father eventually questioned her, prompting her to disclose what had happened.
The victim further stated that her father went to confront Wulana at his home, but members of the community intervened to stop the attack.
A rape case was subsequently opened at a local station, and the young girl was taken to a hospital for a medical examination by a doctor.
When questioned about why she returned to Wulana’s home after the earlier incident, the young girl explained that she had gone because she wanted money.
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Her father also gave evidence, stating that he had decided to question his daughter after being informed that she had been “sleeping” with an older man.
He told the court that when he had confronted Wulana, the convicted rapist admitted that he had sex with his daughter.
According to the father, Wulana also stated that the victim was his girlfriend, claiming their relationship started in 2021.
Wulana further told him that he gave the young girl R200.
Doctor, cop and Wulana testimonies
A doctor from the Tutuzela Care Centre at Karl Bremer Hospital testified that he had examined the girl and found injuries consistent with penetration by a blunt object.
The investigating officer, Ntswakele Masuhlo, told the court that she recorded Wulana’s warning statement at Delft Police Station on 14 November 2022.
In the statement, Wulana claimed that he had consensual sex with the young girl.
The convicted rapist also claimed that they had sex more than once in September and November 2022.
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Wulana, in his testimony, offered a different account of events and denied making the warning statement.
During cross-examination, he suggested that the charges had been brought against him as part of a scheme to have him arrested, allowing the victim’s mother to take possession of his property.
High court judgment
In his judgment, Judge James Lekhuleni upheld the conclusions of the regional court, describing Wulana’s testimony as “extremely dubious and deeply troubling”.
“The appellant adapted his version during his evidence-in-chief and during cross-examination.
“In my view, this version is implausible, does not make sense at all, and the trial court was correct in rejecting it,” the 2 January 2026 judgment reads.
Lekhuleni emphasised that Wulana’s guilt was proven beyond a reasonable doubt, even without his statement.
“It cannot be reasonably suggested that the complainant was influenced to bring a case against the appellant.
“The evidence proved beyond any reasonable doubt that the appellant raped the complainant,” he remarked.
The judge added that Wulana’s personal circumstances, such as his claimed health issues, were insufficient to justify a reduction from a life sentence.
Consequently, the appeal against both conviction and sentence was rejected.
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