The Vryheid Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 56-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of a 13-year-old girl. The crime was committed in the Hlobane area in December 2020.

The rapist was known to the girl, as he was her aunt’s boyfriend.
The 13-year-old girl went to visit her aunt and stayed over. The aunt left to attend a meeting and the boyfriend went to work, so the little girl stayed at the house with the boyfriend’s children. At some point, the other children went to another homestead, leaving the 13-year-old alone in the house.

When the aunt’s boyfriend got back home, he found her alone and raped her.
The little girl told her mother what had happened a few months later. The matter was reported to the police and following investigations, the accused was arrested.

In court, Prosecutor Ncumisa Ntanjana handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the complainant and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Bhekithemba Hopewell Sithole. In her statement, the girl said that the incident had traumatised her and she still experiences flashbacks. She also stated that she has been mentally and academically affected, as she trusted the accused and considered him to be a father figure.
The 56-year-old rapist was sentenced to life imprisonment and was also declared unfit to possess a firearm. The court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter, saying that, “Together with our partners in law enforcement, we will continue to fight for the rights and dignity of all children.”

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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.