Cape Town – The Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court has convicted and sentenced Sipho Ngwenya 31, from Luphisa Trust to life imprisonment for raping an 8-year-old minor girl in 2013.
Ngwenya was a gardener at the victim’s home, situated in the same neighbourhood.
According to NPA spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, on the day of the incident in 2013, the accused went to the victim’s house to work and found the victim alone, and he dragged the victim to the bed and raped her.
“The victim did not report the incident to her parents as the accused was trusted by her family.
“Five years later in 2018, the victim sent a message to her class teacher and explained the rape ordeal which happened on that day.
“Her teacher conveyed the message to the victim’s mother who informed the police, and the accused was arrested,” Nyuswa said.
During the court proceedings, the state relied on the evidence of the victim, her mother, and the teacher.
Nyuswa says that the court found the victim’s testimony credible as she was able to give a detailed and logical account of the incident.
“The court considered all the factors placed before it and sentenced Ngwenya to 21 years of direct imprisonment,” Nyuswa said.
The court further ordered the accused’s name to be entered in the National Register for Sex Offenders and was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
Nyuswa further added that the National Prosecuting Authority acknowledges the conviction and sentence and remains committed to vigorously fighting the scourge of gender-based violence.
IOL