Durban — A man has been handed a life imprisonment sentence for the rape of a girl three years ago.
The Nkandla Regional Court sentenced a 34-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of an eight-year-old child in December 2020, in the Nkandla area.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the man was known to the child’s family, and they trusted him. The child lived at her homestead with her mother, grandmother and younger cousin.
Ramkisson-Kara said on the day of the incident, she 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 after the child identified him.
Regional Court prosecutor Nozipho Mthethwa led the testimonies of the child and her mother. The state also led the evidence of the relative who had walked in on the rape. He had told the police he was afraid of the accused man, hence he did not report the incident.
The state also submitted a victim impact statement compiled by the child’s mother and facilitated by court preparation officer, Amanda Pretty Nxumalo. In her statement, the woman said that before the incident her child was a happy and carefree person who played with the other children. Now she’s forgetful, gets angry easily and wants to be on her own.
The mother added that her family were 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 now live in a mud structure.
“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,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
“We appeal to members of the community to be the voices of the victims of crime and speak out on their behalf. We commend the work done by the prosecution and the police.”
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Daily News