BOYFRIEND SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPE OF HIS GIRLFRIEND'S DAUGHTER

02 MAY 2025

BOYFRIEND SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPE OF HIS GIRLFRIEND'S DAUGHTER

Limpopo, South Africa - The Morebeng Regional Court has sentenced a 33-year-old man from Botlokwa to life imprisonment for rape of a 13-year-old minor girl. The names of both the victim and the accused are withheld to protect the identity of the victim.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and the state-led witnesses who testified that the accused and the victim's mother were in a love relationship. Around March 2023 at Sekonye in Botlokwa, the accused had instructed the victim to clean the pit toilet in the afternoon while the mother was inside the house. The victim went to the toilet as instructed and the accused followed, entered the toilet and closed the door with her inside. He then told the victim to undress herself before raping her. After the ordeal, he gave her R4.00 to silence her. The following day while the accused was at work, the victim reported the incident to her mother and the matter was escalated to the police and the accused was arrested.

In aggravation of sentence, the state prosecutor, Andrew Kgatle argued that the accused had a duty to protect the victim against potential rapist, instead he became the rapist. He further submitted that there are no substantial and compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence and the court agreed and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment.

The NPA welcomes the sentence, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Ivy Thenga stated that it is the NPA's commitment to ensure that victims of Gender-Based Violence receives justice. She further praised the diligent work of the prosecutor and other stakeholders involved in securing the conviction.

Issued by:

Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi
NPA Regional Spokesperson
Limpopo Division
Email: mmalabi@npa.gov.za
Cell no: 074 823 3603