A 37-year-old Bergville man was arrested and sentenced for raping five young boys. On Tuesday, April 5 the accused stood trial for raping the boys between June 2014 and February 2015.

The Ladysmith Regional Court sentenced him to an effective five terms of life imprisonment. The victims were aged between nine and 12-years-old.

According to evidence presented in court, the boys were lured to the accused’s house to either play or have a meal. He continued the rape, until one of the victims spoke about it.

“After the incident, one of the boys went home and told his mother what had happened,” said police spokesperson Major Thulani Zwane.
The suspect was arrested immediately by Bergville police. Investigations revealed that four other boys had fallen victim as well and that the man would give them money to pay for their silence. During the trial the young victims gave excellent evidence, which eventually led to the conviction and five life sentences.

In addition to the life sentences, the accused was found unfit to work with children and his name will be entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders. The heavy sentence handed down to the accused was welcomed by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mmamonnye Ngobeni.

“This will serve as a warning to other criminals who are thinking of committing such crimes.
“I appeal to victims of any type of abuse to report such abuse to the police so that abusers will be arrested,” said General Ngobeni.