The Madadeni Regional Court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to two terms of life imprisonment for the rape of two young boys (minors) in August 2024.

The victims, aged 13 and nine at the time, were friends.

According to Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal, the boys were playing at the 13-year-old’s home on the day of the incident.

“The boy’s sister asked if they would like to accompany her to a nearby house where she planned to study with a friend. The boys agreed and went with her,” said Ramkisson-Kara.

The boys carried on playing outside, while the sister and friend were inside the house studying

Lured into the garage

After some time, the accused arrived and called the boys into the garage. When they entered, they discovered that it had been converted into a bedroom.

The accused locked the door and raped the boys one at a time before releasing them.

“The boys returned to where they had been playing and waited for the sister to finish studying. They did not report the incident immediately.”

A week later, the older boy’s teacher noticed that he appeared unwell at school. When questioned, he said he felt sick and wanted to go home.

His grandmother was contacted and as they walked home, he told her he had been raped. He was taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), where a doctor examined him.

The grandmother then informed the mother of the second victim. The younger boy confirmed that he too had been raped and was taken to the same centre for medical assistance.

Boys identify the accused

Both boys later identified the accused in the presence of police, leading to his arrest.

State prosecutor Cindy-Lee Alberts led the evidence of the victims, the grandmother and sister of the first victim, and the mother of the second victim.

The State also presented testimony from the investigating officer and the doctor who examined the boys.

Victim Impact Statements were submitted to the court. In these, both boys said they were fearful of the accused during the attack. They also described the physical and emotional trauma they experienced.

In addition to the life sentences, the court found the accused unsuitable to work with children.

Ramkisson-Kara further stated that the court declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

The accused has not been named, as this would also identify the victims in this case.

“The NPA remains resolute in our pursuit of justice for victims of sexual violence. The NPA’s fight against the scourge of sexual violence has been aided by the expansion of the TCC footprint across the country, which has grown from 55 TCCs in 2020/2021 to 66 TCCs at present,” concluded Ramkisson-Kara.

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