Life Imprisonment for Raping Minor

25 MARCH 2025

Life Imprisonment for Raping Minor

The Madadeni Regional Court has sentenced a 51-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of a six-year-old boy in June 2023 in the Osizweni area. The accused was a neighbor to the house where the complainant would visit occasionally. Sometimes when the complainant visited there, the accused would take him to his house (the accused’s house) and bring the complainant back later.

On the day of the offence the accused went to his neighbor's house, and he found the complainant playing with other children. He asked the complainant to accompany him to the shop. When they had left the gate of the house, the accused told the complainant that they were not going to the shop but were going to his house (the accused’s house). Once there, the accused gave the complainant something to eat and then asked him to get on top of the bed and lie on his stomach. The accused then raped the complainant. Some time later the other children (the complainant’s friends) went to the accused house looking for him, and the accused advised them that he would bring the complainant back the following day. However, the children insisted that the complainant go with them and the accused eventually let the complainant go.

While they were on their way, the complainant told his friends that he was experiencing pains because of what the accused had done to him. The complainant was taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) for the necessary support, and the accused was subsequently arrested.

In the state’s case, Prosecutor Simphiwe Scelo Hlela led the evidence of the complainant, who said that the incident has left him emotionally and psychologically affected. He said that he struggles to make friends and that he has difficulty integrating with his peers. Hlela further told the court that the accused had prepared the complainant for the offence by building a relationship with him. The state also led the evidence of the medical report which showed that the complainant suffered severe internal and external injuries.

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

The NPA welcomes this successful prosecution. We hope that sentences of this nature demonstrate that we and our partners in the justice cluster are serious about fighting the scourge of sexual offences.

Issued by:

Natasha Ramkisson-Kara
NPA Regional Spokesperson
KZN Division
0716700229