53-year-old Bongani Isaac Masengemu was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape. He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm and his details will be entered onto the National Register for Sexual Offenders.

His conviction in the Ezakheni Regional Court on February 7 follows an investigation by the Ladysmith Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) where Masengemu was accused of raping a six-year-old girl in Bergville on November 9, 2014.

On the day, he asked the girl to accompany him to the shop where he bought her sweets. On the way back he asked whether anyone was waiting at home for her and upon realising that no one was there, he took the child to her own home where he raped her.

The KwaZulu-Natal Acting Provincial Commissioner, Major General Bheki Langa praised the team for securing the conviction in court.

“The members will continue with their positive approach in making sure that all those who prey on defenceless women and children are locked behind bars for a long time,” he said.

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