In a case that represents an almost unimaginable breach of trust and cruelty, the Tsakane Regional Court has handed down four life sentences to a 47-year-old man for the repeated rape of a 13-year-old girl. The victim was not only a child but was also in the midst of a brave fight against cancer.
The man, a trusted family friend and neighbour from Tsakane Extension 13, exploited his position to prey on the child over a five-month period. The court heard that between December 2015 and April 2016, on four separate occasions, he would call the girl to his home while she was visiting her grandmother nearby. There, he would rape her and silence her with death threats, ensuring her suffering remained a secret.
The Devastating Discovery
The horrific truth only came to light during one of the girl’s routine hospital visits for her cancer treatment in October 2016. During this check-up, doctors made two devastating discoveries: she was six months pregnant, and she had contracted HIV.
It was only then, faced with the physical evidence, that the terrified child found the courage to speak. She disclosed to the doctor that the family friend was the one who had raped her.
A Long Road to Justice
The girl’s mother immediately reported the crime to the police, leading to the man’s arrest in November 2016. However, the path to justice was frustratingly slow. The case was provisionally withdrawn, only to be reinstated and placed back on the court roll in 2020.
Throughout the trial, the accused maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty. However, Regional Court Prosecutor Tholwana Jessica Khakhathiba presented a compelling case, adducing evidence that left no doubt about his guilt.
Even after his conviction, the man showed no remorse. His legal representative pleaded for a deviation from the prescribed minimum sentence, citing the man’s deteriorating health since his incarceration.
The Court’s Unwavering Stance
The state, however, argued powerfully for the harshest possible sentence. Prosecutor Khakhathiba emphasized that the man had not only shown no remorse but had committed “gruesome offences towards a defenseless child who was already suffering from a chronic illness.”
The court agreed, finding that the aggravating circumstancesthe extreme vulnerability of the victim, the breach of trust, the life-altering consequences, and the lack of remorse far outweighed any mitigating factors.
The presiding officer sentenced him to four life terms, ordered to run concurrently. He was also declared unfit to ever work with children and his name will be added to the National Register for Sexual Offenders.
This ruling serves as a stark reminder of the system’s duty to protect the most vulnerable and to deliver justice, no matter how long it takes. For a child who had already been fighting for her life, this sentence finally acknowledges the profound and additional trauma she was forced to endure.
