Pretoria – A 49-year-old man has been found guilty of statutory rape and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Joburg Magistrate’s Court. The victim was his niece.
The 49-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, was also declared unfit to possess a firearm, according to Joburg central police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele.
“His name will be included in the (national) register of sexual offenders. The accused raped a 9-year-old girl from 2015 until November 2018 when she was 12 years old at Slovo Park Crosby, in the Brixton area.”
The girl was sexually assaulted by her uncle when she was sent to her aunt’s home because her mother was working night shift.
Police said the uncle raped her during the day, when her aunt was at work.
The man gave the child R2 after each ordeal and told her not to tell anyone about the rapes.
On March 22, 2019, the victim told her mother. “They went to Brixton police station where a case was opened and the suspect apprehended on the same day,” said Mbele.
He praised Warrant Officer Rebecca Abrahams of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit for her role in securing the conviction.
In August, two men, aged 68 and 71, appeared before the Bolobedu Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl at Ga-Matipane Village on several occasions.
At the time, Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the two suspects who were reportedly friends and neighbours of the victim, were arrested after the child’s mother laid charges at the Mokwakwaila police station.
“The mother reportedly learnt about the horrendous incidents after the victim opened up to the school principal,” said Mojapelo.
He said the victim was first raped on August 15 by the 71-year-old suspect at his homestead. Afterwards he gave her R5 and told her not to tell anyone. The victim was raped again five days later in the nearby bush by the 68-year-old suspect. He also gave her R5.
IOL