The Ntuzuma Regional Court has sentenced a 58-year-old man to life and seven years imprisonment for the rape and sexual grooming of a minor.
The accused was a boxing coach and the 13-year-old victim attended lessons with him.
Regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said initially, he groomed her by greeting her with a hug and a kiss when she went for lessons.
“However, this escalated when he raped her and then continued to have sexual intercourse with her for over a year. While the complainant did not tell anyone what was happening, she recorded the information in her diary,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
“At some stage, the complainant’s mother discovered the contents of the diary and approached the accused, who denied the allegations. The accused then went to the complainant’s home, wanting to compensate the family by buying them cows. The complainant’s uncle and mother turned him away and reported the matter to the police. The complainant was taken to the Phoenix Thuthuzela Care Centre for the necessary support.”
In court the accused denied all the allegations, maintaining his innocence. Prosecutor Lisa Abrahams led the testimonies of the complainant, her mother, her uncle, and a medical doctor.
In the complainant’s Victim Impact Statement, which was facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Senziwe Mthethwa, the complainant said that she is now afraid of people, especially men, and she still has flashbacks of the incident. The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and seven years imprisonment for sexual grooming. The sentences will run concurrently.
“Further, the court declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for sex offenders,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
“The NPA welcomes the successful prosecution. It is our mandate to protect the most vulnerable in society.”
