ANOTHER life sentence was doled out by the Durban Regional Court as a 29-year-old man was convicted of raping an eight-year-old-girl in September 2021 in the Cato Manor area.
This according to Natasha Kara, regional spokesperson for the directors of public prosecutors (DPP) in KwaZulu Natal.
“The child, who was friends with the man’s stepdaughter (also eight 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,” said Kara.
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Regional Court Prosecutor Sibongile Mkhwanazi, handed in Victim Impact Statements compiled by the child and her mother and was 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 has negatively affected her marriage because she and her husband feel like they have failed their child,” said Kara.
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The man was sentenced to an effective term of life imprisonment and the court ordered that his name is 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,” said Kara.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomed this successful prosecution.
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