The Port Shepstone Regional Court has sentenced a 45-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of an 11-year-old girl in Boboyi, Port Shepstone, in a case the court described as a grave violation of the victim’s rights and dignity.
The National Prosecuting Authority (National Prosecuting Authority) welcomed the sentence, saying it reflects the seriousness with which the justice system treats crimes of sexual violence, particularly those committed against children.
The court heard that the incident occurred between March and May 2022. The accused and the complainant lived in the same area. On the day of the incident, the child was playing at a friend’s house where the accused was a tenant.
According to evidence presented, the child’s friend briefly left the house to go to a nearby shop when the accused allegedly pulled the complainant into his room and raped her. He reportedly threatened to harm her and her family if she told anyone.
The matter was reported to the police, and the complainant was taken to the Port Shepstone Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) for medico-legal and psychosocial support. The accused was subsequently arrested. In court, Prosecutor Chad Davey led the testimony of the complainant, her mother, and her friend. The State also presented evidence from the medical practitioner who examined the complainant and documented her injuries.
The accused was sentenced to life imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm. The court further ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
