A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for rape.
On Monday, the Scottsburgh Regional Court sentenced Philani Ngcobo to life imprisonment for rape he committed in March 2016.
Police said in a statement that it was alleged that on March 20, 2016, his ten-year-old victim had been heading to a local shop in the Umkomaas area, when she was grabbed by the accused. She was then dragged into nearby bushes where Ngcobo raped her.
The victim reported the matter to police and a case of rape was opened.
The docket was transferred to Umlazi Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for further investigation, and Ngcobo was apprehended within three days of the investigation.
The accused made several court appearances before being sentenced on November 20, 2017.
KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Bheki Langa commended the team of detectives responsible for the arrest and investigation.