LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR NEIGHBOUR WHO RAPED SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomes the life sentence imposed by the Mtubatuba Regional Court on a 68-year-old man following his conviction for the rape of a six-year-old girl in March 2025 in the eBaswazini area of northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The accused was known to the complainant as a neighbour, and she referred to him as "grandpa".

Evidence presented in court revealed that on the day of the incident, the complainant was returning home from school when she encountered the accused on the road. He grabbed her by the hand and instructed her to accompany him to his homestead. When she questioned why, he covered her mouth and forcibly took her to his home, where he raped her.

After committing the offence, the accused threatened the child and warned her not to tell anyone about what had happened before sending her home. The complainant immediately reported the incident to her mother, who alerted the police. The child was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for medical examination and treatment. The accused was later arrested after being positively identified by the complainant.

State Prosecutor Phumlani Thembalethu Khoza led the evidence of three witnesses: the complainant; her mother, who testified as the first report witness; and the medical doctor who examined the child. The State also handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the complainant's mother and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Sithembile Cebekhulu. In the statement, the mother detailed the emotional trauma, pain, and lasting impact the offence has had on the child and their family.

In addition to the life sentence, the court declared the accused unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his particulars be entered into both the National Register for Sex Offenders and the National Child Protection Register.

The NPA trusts that sentences of this nature will serve as a strong deterrent to perpetrators who prey on vulnerable members of society. The accused abused a position of trust and exploited the vulnerability of a young child. Children are among the most vulnerable members of society and deserve the highest level of protection from all forms of abuse, violence, and exploitation.

Issued by:

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara

NPA Regional Spokesperson – KwaZulu-Natal Division