KZN man jailed for life for minor’s rape

The Durban Regional Court has sentenced a 21-year-old man to life imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to the rape of a 13-year-old girl in Wentworth, KZN.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), on the day of the incident in March last year, the victim was on her way to her friend’s house when the accused called her to his flat.

“He threatened her with a knife and raped her. The girl then went home and collapsed from the excessive bleeding she experienced following the rape. She was rushed to hospital, and upon regaining consciousness, told her mother that she was raped by the accused. Due to them being well known to each other, she was able to name the accused, leading to his arrest shortly thereafter,” says NPA regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara.

In aggravation of the sentence, prosecutor Siphindile Precious Ntombela handed in Victim Impact Statements, compiled by the girl and her mother and facilitated by court preparation officer Nondumiso Nyembe.

“In their statements, both described the trauma they had experienced following the incident. In addition to the life sentence, the accused was deemed unfit to possess a firearm and unfit to work with children. Further, the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.

“The NPA applauds the successful prosecution. Together with our partners in law enforcement, we are mandated to pursue justice for the victims of crime,” says Ramkisson-Kara.