Man sentenced for rape and murder of two-year-old

Bongani Esau Dhlamini (27) was sentenced to 18 years in prison in the Ermelo High Court on 1 April on charges of rape, murder and assault to inflict grievous bodily harm.

The victim was a two-year-old girl.

Dhlamini was left with the girl and a seven-year-old boy, while the mother was at work on 5 November 2010.

She came back the following morning and found him sitting with the boy in a room.

She asked them where her daughter was.

The culprit told her she was sleeping and she went to check and found her breathing heavily.

She also noticed that she had bruises on her right cheek.

The mother picked her up and noticed injuries on her head, forehead, stomach and buttocks as well.

She then asked Dhlamini what had happened and he told her that she was playing outside with her brother and other children from the neighbourhood and she came in crying.

He also said the neighbour’s child was dragging her in a box and she fell.

The woman’s sister took the child to the Standerton Hospital where she later died.

Police were called and a case of murder was opened.

Const Dan Nomfenge of Sakhile Detectives investigated the case.