Durban - A 46-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to two terms of life in prison for the rape of his nieces, aged 13 and 6.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the accused was sentenced by the Madadeni Regional Court.
She said the girls in this matter were cousins. She said they were raped on various occasions by the man, who lived with them in the same homestead.
“He raped the 13-year-old girl on two different occasions when her granny was not around. The 6-year-old was raped in 2019, also when she was alone at home.”
According to Ramkisson-Kara, the man had threatened the girls and asked them not to tell anyone.
“Eventually, they confided in each other, and their violations came to light. The man was soon arrested and the girls were taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre where they received the necessary psycho-social services, counselling, and support.”
In court, Regional Court Prosecutor Simphiwe Scelo Hlela submitted Victim Impact Statements compiled by the girls and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Mdiya Masande.
“The older girl said that at some point following the offences, she was suicidal. Her grades at school were affected and she also ran away from home. The younger girl said that the incident affected her mentally. She still has nightmares about what happened,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
She said the man was sentenced to life in prison for each of the rapes. Further, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm; unsuitable to work with children, and an order was made that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter, as it affirms our commitment to curbing the scourge of gender-based violence and sexual offences. We commend the work done by the prosecution and SAPS.”
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, the Durban Regional Court sentenced a 29-year-old man to life in prison for the rape of an 8-year-old girl in September 2021, in the Cato Manor area.
Ramkisson-Kara the child, who was friends with the man’s stepdaughter - also 8 years old - was raped on different occasions.
“He threatened to kill her or rape her friend (his stepdaughter) if she told anyone. The child’s mother eventually noticed that something was wrong with the child and asked her about it. The child was initially reluctant to disclose her abuser, as she was still afraid of the man, however, his identity was eventually revealed, and he was arrested soon after.”
In aggravation of sentence, Regional Court Prosecutor Sibongile Mkhwanazi handed in Victim Impact Statements compiled by the child and her mother and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Prudence Geraud.
“In her statement, the child said that she is now scared of playing outside her home. She is always angry and is no longer happy. Her mother stated that the offence had negatively affected her marriage because she and her husband felt like they have failed their child,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
The NPA said the man was sentenced to an effective term of life imprisonment.
“The court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and he was deemed unfit to possess a firearm. Further, the court ordered that he must not be given parole without prior consultation with the child’s parents. Upon completion of his sentence, he must be deported to his home country Zimbabwe,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
The NPA welcomed this successful prosecution.
“It affirms our stance on the abuse of children. We commend the efforts of the prosecution and the police.”