THE eSikhawini Regional Court on Wednesday sentenced a man (35) to life imprisonment for the rape of a young girl (8) in the Matshana area in November 2023.

According to court reports, the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was in a relationship with the girl’s mother.

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In May 2023, the mother relocated for work, leaving her daughter, another family member and a nanny to live at the homestead with the man.

The man would call the girl into his room, close the curtains, play loud music to drown out any sound, and rape the girl while her nanny was in a separate structure on the property.

He threatened that the girl would ‘see a ghost’ if she told anyone about the abuse.

On 5 November 2023, after the man raped the girl again, the abuse came to light after the neighbour, who had heard rumours to this effect, asked the girl if the man had been raping her.

The girl confided in the neighbour, who took her to the Ngwelezana Thuthuzela Centre for medical care and psychosocial support.

The matter was reported to the police and the suspect arrested.

Leading testimonies of the neighbour and the victim in court, Prosecutor Kamogelo Mahila Nkwatle also presented evidence from the investigating officer and the doctor who had carried out the medical examination on the girl.

In her victim impact statement, the girl expressed that she had hoped the accused would be a father figure after the death of her biological father. Instead, he hurt and abused her.

In addition to the life imprisonment sentence, 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 National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence.

“The NPA’s fight against sexual violence is strengthened by the continued expansion of Thuthuzela Care Centres across the country, which have increased from 55 in 2020/21 to 66 at present. These centres provide comprehensive, victim-centred support including medical care, counselling and legal assistance to survivors of sexual violence,” said NPA KZN regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara.

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