Justice finally served in 2015 rape case
In court, Prosecutor Xolani Bhekisisa Ndlela led the testimony of the complainant, the first report, and the medical doctor who examined her.
The Ulundi Regional Court has sentenced a 39-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor girl in 2015 in the Ceza area near Mahlabathini. The accused was a relative of the complainant’s father.
During some time in 2015, the complainant visited her father at his homestead and was on her way back to her mother’s homestead when she encountered the accused (whom she recognised) and a man unknown to her.
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The men accosted her and raped her. The accused threatened to kill her and her family if she reported the incident to anyone. Due to her fear, the complainant returned home and did not report the matter. The complainant saw him a few days after the incident at a family function where he signalled to her that he would slit her throat.
Then in April 2022, the complainant was at a tuck shop in the area when she saw the accused again. He walked up to her and whispered to her if she had kept their secret. The complainant then went home and reported the rape to her mother. They reported the incident to the police and the accused was subsequently arrested.
Regional spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, said, “In court, Prosecutor Xolani Bhekisisa Ndlela led the testimony of the complainant, the first report, and the medical doctor who examined her. The medical doctor concluded that the findings upon examination of the child were consistent with her version of what happened. The complainant was considered a reliable witness because her evidence was clear and consistent even though the offence had taken place seven years prior to it being reported. In aggravation of the sentence, Ndlela submitted a victim impact statement, compiled by the complainant, and facilitated by court preparation officer, Bhekithemba Hopewell Sithole. In her statement, complainant said that the incident had left her physically and mentally traumatised.”
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The accused was sentenced accordingly, with the court declaring him unfit to possess a firearm and unfit to work with children. Further, the court ordered that his name is entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
The NPA welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter. Curbing the scourge of gender-based violence remains one of the organisation’s top priorities.
