Bucanana rapist jailed for life, but victim left scarred

A rape survivor (15) was vindicated when the Empangeni Regional Court convicted and sentenced her stepbrother for the crime.

A Bucanana man (29), who cannot be named for protection of the victim, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday.

The girl was raped several times by the accused in 2023, and he would threaten to kill her if she told anyone about her ordeal.

He would rape her during the day when there was no one at home.

She reported the incidents to her stepmother, as her mother died some years ago, but the woman and her father turned against her and rubbished her claims.

The victim was in Grade 8 at a local high school and was on the verge of committing suicide when she decided to write a letter to her school teacher, divulging everything that was happening to her. The school contacted social workers and a rape case was registered at the Bucanana Police Station.

The docket was transferred to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit based in Empangeni, and was assigned to Detective Sergeant Sanele Shoba, who then removed the victim from her family as they had failed to protect her.

The accused was arrested and granted bail, and attended the case until his conviction and sentencing.

Don’t have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here:

HAVE YOUR SAY