THREE life sentences were handed down by acting regional magistrate Kgebetli Moleele in the Port Shepstone Regional Court this week to a man (35) who raped and sexually assaulted four children.
The crimes committed against the children, aged between four and six, took place in the Gclima area between January and August 2012.
Magistrate Moleele further sentenced him to 20 years’ imprisonment for two counts of sexual assault.
One of the minors was related to the rapist, who has two children of his own, aged nine and eight.
Due to the man being related to the child, he could not be named.
The rapist, who suffers from epilepsy, has several previous convictions.
In 2002, he was sentenced to a R200 fine or ten days’ imprisonment for assault, and in 2006, he was handed a seven year jail sentence for attempted rape.
However, he only served four years and was released in 2010. He was arrested again, in August of 2012.
In her closing argument, state prosecutor, Sharmilla Chinnasamy, said that rape is the most heinous crime committed upon a person, their body and integrity.
“In some incidences rape is described as more serious than murder, as the victim lives to tell the tale,” she said.
Prosecutor Chinnasamy said that as young as the children were they remembered every aspect of the violation, and were clearly traumatised when they testified..
She explained that the ball was set in motion after one of the children’s memory was triggered, probably in flashbacks, during life orientation class at school.
“Even the teacher was traumatised to the extent that when she testified she cried,” she added.
Prosecutor Chinnasamy said that as the man was an uncle of the child, he had the a moral and legal duty to protect the child, but instead he did the opposite, by manipulating and taking advantage of her friends.
She explained that in an effort to lure the children, the man would give the children a ‘cookie’ after he sexually abused them.
“Society expects the courts to protect women and children from predators like these, and the accused is a predator,” she said.
