The accused in a rape case will spend over 20 years in jail after being convicted and sentenced in the Ladysmith Regional Court last month.
Between February and March last year, a 13-year-old girl from the Burford area in Ladysmith suffered a terrible ordeal. She was raped twice by a family member who lived in her own homestead.
The man sent her on an errand to a spaza shop close to her home. On her return, he called her into his room, where he threatened and raped her.
She was overcome with fear and pain, and kept the incident a secret as instructed by the suspect.
A few weeks later, he repeated the despicable act again in his room.
Again the girl kept the incident a secret out of fear.
A week later, he attempted to rape her for the third time. Since other family members were close by, he pushed her into his room through an open window from an angle where no one could see. He then entered his room and once inside, he noticed that his victim had sustained an injury to her leg while being pushed through the window.
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He abandoned his rape attempt. Other family members questioned the girl about her fresh injury and she bravely explained her two-month ordeal to them.
Police were immediately informed and their quick response secured the arrest of the suspect.
He appeared in the Ladysmith Magistrate’s Court, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. He was granted bail with specific conditions and the victim was placed in a place of safety.
The accused was subsequently convicted and sentenced to an effective 21 years’ imprisonment in the Ladysmith Regional Court last month. The accused was sentenced to 15 years for one count of rape and 16 years for a second count of rape.
He also received a five-year sentence for assault.
His name is to be entered in the National Register of Sexual Offenders.
The case was investigated by Constable NR Mazibuko of the Ladysmith Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS).
The investigating officer expressed her sincere appreciation to the State Public Prosecutor, Miss PP Mphomane, for the assistance she gave her during the investigation.
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