The Ermelo Regional Court has convicted and sentenced a 26-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping his 12-year-old minor niece.
The accused name will be withheld from the statement to protect the victim from secondary victimisation. The accused pleaded guilty to the crime and was subsequently convicted of rape.
The provincial spokesperson for National Prosecution Authority Monica Nyuswa said, “In May 2023, the accused visited his sister at Ermelo extension 5 where she resides with the victim. Late at night, he went out with his friends to drink alcohol, and he came back drunk. He slept in the kitchen where two of his nieces were sleeping and started touching the victim and undressing her before raping her. The matter was reported to the police and the victim was taken to Ermelo Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical attention and psychosocial support,”
Nyuswa added said, the accused pleaded guilty and admitted that his actions were wrong. In aggravation of sentence, State Prosecutor Chané Rothman presented a Victim impact statement facilitated by the Court Preparation Officer Faith Masango where the victim stated that she feels sad and ashamed because of what happened to her.
She added that she no longer feels comfortable playing with other kids because they say mean things to her. Rothman emphasised the devastating impact it had on the young victim stating that the victim’s trust was betrayed by someone who was supposed to protect her; instead, he took advantage of her innocence and subjected her to horrific sexual violence.
Magistrate Eben Jonker said, “The accused robbed the victim of her childhood and found no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying deviation from the ordained sentence.
The court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment. He was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and unsuitable to work with children in section 120(4) of Act 38/2005 and the court further ordered that his name be registered in the National Register for Sex Offenders in section 50(2) of Act 32 of 2007.
Nyuswa further said the NPA welcomes the sentence, reaffirming its commitment to combatting gender-based violence and femicide and ensuring that perpetrators face the consequences of their actions. This sentence serves as a crucial reminder of the NPA’s ongoing dedication to advocating for the rights and safety of victims within our communities.
