Mozambican man jailed for rape and murder of six-year-old in Orlando

Man convicted after killing of six-year-old in Orlando

Pethe Sara Simiao, a 25-year-old Mozambican national, has been sentenced after pleading guilty to charges linked to the death of six-year-old Amantle Samane in Orlando, Soweto.

Guilty pleas and sentence

According to Citizen, Simiao pleaded guilty to kidnapping, rape, murder and a contravention of the Immigration Act in relation to the child’s death in October 2024. The sentencing hearing took place at the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.

Citizen reports the court imposed separate terms: two years for kidnapping, life imprisonment for murder, life imprisonment for rape, and two years for contravening the Immigration Act. The judge ordered the sentences to run concurrently with the life term, Citizen says.

How the crime unfolded

The child was last seen on 21 October 2024 playing with other children in the street. Her body was discovered two days later in a shack in Orlando East after a search by family and neighbours. Simiao was arrested on 23 October at a house in Zola, Soweto.

Simiao admitted to strangling Amantle in an attempt to conceal the rape and told the court he had been under the influence of alcohol, the reporting states.

Immigration contravention

Investigations revealed that Simiao had entered South Africa illegally in 2022 using a Mozambican passport that is set to expire in 2027. The prosecution included a count for contravening immigration laws.

Victim impact and judge’s remarks

During sentencing, Amantle’s mother, Ntombizodwa, told the court the murder had left her unable to sleep and called for heavy punishment. The presiding judge also addressed the wider context of foreign nationals in South Africa.

“Whilst this is understandable in the circumstances, one must bear in mind that of the many foreigners that we have in our country and even those that are here unlawfully, many are good and hard-working people who are simply here to seek a better life,”

Citizen attributes the comment to Judge William Karam.

Court notes

The judge took account of Simiao’s plea statement and personal circumstances submitted in mitigation, including a claim of remorse and the fact that he was a first-time offender. The court noted he was arrested two days after the commission of the offences on the relevant counts and had remained in custody since, the report says.