The Tsakane Regional Court has sentenced a 47-year-old man from Tsakane Extension 13 to four life terms for four counts of rape of a 13-year-old girl.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently and ordered that his name should be added on the National Register for Sexual Offenders. He was further declared unfit to work with children.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Gauteng regional spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, said from December 2015 until April 2016 on four different occasions the child went to her grandmother’s place to assist her with house chores.
Mahanjana said the man, who is also a family friend and a trusted neighbour, would call the child to his place, rape her and threaten to kill her if she told anyone about the rape incidents.
“In October 2016 when the 13-year-old minor had gone back to the doctor for her regular cancer treatment, the doctors discovered that she was six months pregnant and had contracted HIV. When the doctor enquired about the pregnancy, the child disclosed that she was raped by the family friend,” said Mahanjana
The mother reported the matter to the police, and the man was arrested in November 2016. However, the matter was provisionally withdrawn and was placed back on the roll in 2020.
In court he pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied raping the child, however the regional court prosecutor Tholwana Jessica Khakhathiba adduced evidence that proved the man’s guilt.
“During sentencing, through his legal representative, the man asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence due to his ill health which has deteriorated since his incarceration.,”
But Khakhathiba argued for life imprisonment, because the man did not show any remorse and continued to maintain his innocence even after conviction.
Furthermore, it was held that the man committed gruesome offences towards a defenseless child who was already suffering from a chronic illness.
“Not only did the man impregnate the child he also infected her with HIV and took away her innocence.”
The court found aggravating circumstances far outweighed mitigating factors, agreeing with the state that the accused showed no remorse for the offences. The sentence was deemed appropriate.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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