Man Sentenced to 18 Years Imprisonment for Oral Rape of a Boy

11 April 2025

Man Sentenced to 18 Years Imprisonment for Oral Rape of a Boy

Nelspruit, Mpumalanga - The Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court convicted and sentenced a 25-year male from Matsulu to 18 years direct imprisonment for oral rape of a nine-year-old minor boy. The accused’s name will be withheld from the statement to protect the victim from secondary victimization. In the early morning of 17 March 2022, the victim was on his way to school when he passed the accused's place. The accused lured the victim to his house under the pretense that he wanted to give him a face mask. The accused instructed the victim to take off his clothes, when he realized that the victim was a boy, he inserted his penis into the mouth of the victim until he ejaculated. The accused then instructed the victim to swallow the semen, and some semen fell on the victim’s school jersey. The victim went home, crying, and met someone who asked him what had happened. The victim told him about the rape ordeal. The man accompanied the victim home and informed the parents, who reported the matter to the police and the accused was arrested.

In court, the accused denied the allegations and insisted that he was falsely implicated. In his defense, the accused told the court that the victim’s family got his semen from a used condom in his dustbin and smeared it on the victim's school jersey. State Prosecutor Jones presented compelling evidence from the victim who testified using intermediary services. The report witnesses also testified and corroborated the version of the victim. The State further presented DNA evidence found on the victims’ school jerseys linking the accused to the offence. The court found evidence of state witnesses reliable and rejected the accused’s version.

In aggravation of sentence, Prosecutor Leann Jones argued for the prescribed minimum sentence of life to be imposed on the accused, emphasising that the accused’s predatory behavior warranted a strong societal message. Magistrate Vanessa Joubert found substantial and compelling circumstances justifying deviation from the ordained sentence and sentenced the accused to 18 years’ direct imprisonment. The court also declared him unfit to possess a firearm and ordered his name entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders.

This sentence reflects the criminal justice system’s firm stance against gender-based violence. Sexual violence violates victims’ constitutional rights to dignity and privacy while undermining societal trust. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) remains steadfast in prosecuting such cases to deliver justice and support all victims.

Issued by:

Monica Nyuswa
NPA Regional Spokesperson
DPP Mpumalanga
013 045 0625 / 076 485 5446
mnyuswa@npa.gov.za