Masoyi man sentenced to life for rape of young niece

A 33-year-old Masoyi man was recently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court for the rape of his seven-year-old niece.

According to the Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority’s spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, the incident had taken place in 2019. She said the man had lived in a house with his niece and her mother. Nyuswa said that on the day the incident occurred, the girl’s mother had gone to work, leaving the man and her daughter alone at the house.

She said the victim had watched television that evening and had then gone to bed. “While asleep, the accused entered the victim’s room, and undressed and raped her. The accused saw the victim bleeding, cleaned her with a pillowcase, and placed it inside the wardrobe,” said Nyuswa.

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“The victim’s mother returned from work and prepared dinner, and when they finished eating, the mother went to her bedroom to sleep, and the victim started to cry. Upon questioning her, she told her mother that her uncle had injured her when she was not around. The mother inspected her and saw the injuries to her private parts. The following morning, she reported the ordeal to the family and alerted the police.”

She said the man was arrested. The state successfully opposed his bail application.

In court, he pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, Lazarus Rabothata, led evidence from the victim, which was corroborated by the forensic nurse’s testimony.

Rabothata presented a victim impact statement compiled by court preparation officer Zodwa Lekhuleni. In it, the victim’s mother said the incident had hurt the victim, as she is now living in fear.

The man was sentenced to life imprisonment and the court ordered his name be entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders. Nyuswa said he was also declared unsuitable to work with children.