KEY POINTS
- A 50-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 10-year-old girl, with his name added to the National Register for Sex Offenders and the Child Protection Register.
- The accused, a family friend, had a history of exploiting minors, including fathering a child with a 15-year-old, and showed no remorse for his actions.
- The case highlights South Africa’s ongoing struggle with gender-based violence, with advocates emphasizing the need for stronger judicial protections for vulnerable groups.
In a landmark ruling, the Worcester Regional Court has sentenced a 50-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of a 10-year-old girl.
The court also ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and the Child Protection Register, and declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
The accused, whose identity has been withheld to protect the rape victim, was a close friend of the girl’s family, making the crime a profound betrayal of trust.
The rape incident occurred on the evening of November 25, 2017, in Droeheuwel, Robertson.
According to IOL, the rape victim’s mother had left her and her brother in the care of the accused’s wife while she went out to search for her husband.
That night, the victim, her brother, and the accused’s son slept at the foot of the bed, while the accused and his wife slept at the head.
During the night, the rape victim woke up to find the accused pulling down her underwear. “I asked him what he was doing and threatened to tell my father,” the victim recounted during her testimony.
Despite her pleas, the accused raped her, leaving her traumatised.
Accused had previous history of exploiting minors
Regional Court prosecutor Elton Willemse revealed that the accused had a history of preying on minors. In a shocking disclosure, Willemse informed the court that the accused had fathered a child with a 15-year-old girl during a year-long affair.
“This indicates a pattern of predatory behavior, where the accused consistently targets vulnerable minors who cannot legally consent to sexual activity,” Willemse argued.
The prosecutor emphasized that the accused showed no remorse for his actions, instead blaming the victim and her family for fabricating the allegations.
- The victim’s courage in testifying against her attacker was pivotal in securing the conviction. “She had to relive the horrific ordeal in court, detailing the trauma she endured,” Willemse stated.
The court also heard that the victim’s injuries were severe, both physically and emotionally, and that the betrayal of trust by a family friend compounded the trauma.
