KZN man sentenced to life in jail for raping 7-year-old niece

A KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his 7-year-old niece.

The accused, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of the child, raped the girl in April at her home in Port Dunford, police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said on Sunday.

“On 18 April, a child was sweeping inside the rondavel at her home in Port Dunford when the uncle entered and raped her.

“The uncle was caught red-handed by the child’s grandmother who reported the incident to the police,” Mbele said.

A rape case was opened at the Esikhaleni police station and it was assigned to the Empangeni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit for investigation.

“The uncle was immediately arrested and was kept in custody throughout the trial until he was prosecuted,” Mbele added.

The sentence was imposed in the Esikhaleni Regional Court on Friday.

Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Thulani Gonya said: “Crimes against children cannot be tolerated, especially committed by people meant to be protectors to the victims. We will ensure that they face the full might of law.”

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