Vryheid court jails Hlobane rapist for 30 years

Vryheid Regional Court has sentenced a 33-year-old man to 30 years’ direct imprisonment for the rape of a nine-year-old girl in the Hlobane area in May 2021.

Accused and victim knew each other

It is believed that the accused and the victim were known to each other, as they lived in the same community. On May 18, 2021, the accused had his hair cut at the complainant’s homestead. When he left, he left behind the hair that had been cut. The complainant’s mother instructed her daughter to collect the hair, put it in a plastic bag and take it to the accused’s residence. Upon her arrival at the accused’s home, he raped her. He told the child that her mother had instructed him to do so and threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incident to anyone.

Child disclosed incident to her mother

When the girl returned home, her mother enquired why she had taken so long. The girl then revealed what had happened. The matter was reported to police and the girl was taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment and examination. The accused subsequently visited the complainant’s home, seeking assistance with an unrelated matter. The girl’s mother delayed him at the premises until police arrived and arrested him.

DNA evidence strengthened the state’s case

During the trial, prosecutor Kwazikwakhe Sibiya presented the evidence of the complainant and her mother, as well as DNA evidence linking the accused to the offence. The state also submitted Victim Impact Statements (VIS) prepared with the assistance of court preparation officer Bheki Hopewell Sithole. In her VIS, the complainant said she had trusted the accused and regarded him as an uncle. She explained that the incident left her traumatised and that she had to endure ridicule from her peers as a result of what happened. The complainant’s mother stated that she had regarded the accused as both a friend and a brother. She expressed her disappointment that, instead of protecting her child, he had betrayed their trust and caused her significant harm.

Court imposed a 30-year prison sentence

During sentencing, the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment and imposed a sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment. The court found that the accused’s period of incarceration since 2021 constituted a substantial and compelling circumstance justifying a departure from the prescribed sentence. In addition, the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

NPA welcomes the outcome

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has welcomed the sentence.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.