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Justice has finally been served for a 12-year-old girl who was raped by a 27-year-old man who is a close relative of the victim’s family.
It started when she was only five years old.
The case was finalised on March 12 after several court appearances.
He was sentenced in the Regional Court in Vosloorus to life imprisonment on count one of rape and count two for displaying child pornography, for which he was sentenced to one-year in prison. These will run concurrently. Also, the man’s name will be placed on the national register for sex offenders. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“Sgt Det Lindelani Dladla investigated the case,” said Const Sivenkosi Mtwa from Katlehong SAPS.
“It started when the victim was taken to crèche by the man,” said Mtwa.
“He would take the victim home while the parents were still at work and rape her. Afterwards, he would threaten to kill or hurt her if she told someone,” said Mtwa.
This continued for years.
“By 2017, the victim started to post suicidal messages on her social media. Her mother requested help from a friend who managed to make the child open up,” said Mtwa.
A case was opened in 2017 at the Vosloorus SAPS by the mother of the victim.
The case was assigned to the Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS).