The Madadeni Regional Court yesterday (October 31) sentenced a 30-year-old man, to life imprisonment, for the rape of his girlfriend’s daughter in April 2022. The child was 10 years old at the time and he raped her on two occasions when her mother was away from the house running errands.
The man, armed with a knife, threatened to kill both her and her mother if the girl told on him, said Ms Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
“The child did not report the incidents. Her mother eventually noticed that the child was behaving out-of-sorts and was even wetting the bed. She asked the child if anyone was touching her private parts and after some coaxing, the girl revealed what her stepfather was doing. The mother reported the incident to the police, and he was arrested. The child was taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre, where she received medical and psycho-social assistance,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
In court, Regional Court Prosecutor Zwelisha Petros Mhlophe led the evidence of the child and her mother. Mr Mhlophe also handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the child’s mother who said that the incident had completely changed the child's behaviour.
“She said the girl now refuses to interact with other children and is doing poorly at school. The woman also said that the child is now afraid of going out and prefers to stay at home. The man was sentenced to life imprisonment and the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm. The court further ordered that his name be added to the National Register for Sex Offenders, and the court found him unsuitable to work with children,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
In a separate incident heard in the Nkandla Regional Court, a 34-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of an eight-year-old child in December 2020, in the Nkandla area. He was sentenced on Tuesday October 31.
Ms Ramkisson-Kara said the man was known to the child’s family, and they had trusted him. The child lived at her homestead with her mother, grandmother and younger cousin.
“On the day of the incident, the girl was babysitting her cousin when the man came into the house and raped her. Another relative walked in on them and the man ran away. The relative, however, did not immediately tell anyone what he had seen; the girl reported the incident to her mother later. The man was arrested as he was easily identified by the child,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
Regional Court Prosecutor Nozipho Mthethwa led the testimonies of the child and her mother, who was the first to report the incident. The state also led the evidence of the relative who had walked in on the rape. He had told the police that he was afraid of the man (the accused), hence he did not report the incident. The state also submitted a Victim Impact Statement, compiled by the child’s mother.
“In her statement, the woman said that before the incident her child was a happy and a care-free girl who played with the other children. Now she’s forgetful, gets angry easily and wants to be on her own. The mother further added that her family was against her opening a case of rape, as the man (accused) was well-known to them. She said that consequently, she and her children were kicked out of the house and they now live in a mud structure,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
The man was sentenced accordingly, and the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The NPA appeal to members of the community to be the voices of the victims of crime and speak out on their behalf, said Ms Ramkisson-Kara