Cape Town - A 54-year-old man from KwaZulu-Natal has been sentenced to life imprisonment terms for the rape of his then 11-year-old niece.
The rape occurred in 2019 and 2020, the Madadeni Regional Court heard.
At the time, the girl and her family lived in a communal homestead along with other family members.
According to the provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, the uncle raped the girl when no adults were around.
“On the first occasion, he raped her when she went to use the outside toilet.
“Her sister found them in the toilet and the child who did not realise that she was raped, told her sister that their uncle was trying to rape her.
“They reported the incident to their mother and the uncle apologised saying that he was intoxicated. They did not involve the police.
“Then in 2020, the man called the girl into his room and raped her again. She reported the incident to her brother and they then told their mother.
“The girl was taken to the Thuthuzela Care Centre at Madadeni Hospital where she received psycho-social and medical assistance,” Ramkission-Kara said.
Upon examination, the doctor was able to confirm the recent rape and advised that due to old scars, the girl was previously raped as well.
During the court case, the uncle pleaded not guilty claiming the child’s mother wanted him to move out of the homestead and told the child to make the accusations against him.
State prosecutor Khethiwe Kunene led the testimonies of the victim, her siblings, their mother and the doctor.
The State’s case was further enhanced by the Victim Impact Statement complied by the victim and facilitated by the court’s preparation officer.
In her statement, the victim said the incident had left her with psychological, physical and emotional scars.
The incident, the court heard, had also caused a division within the family and the victim said the stigma attached to being a rape victim had left her feeling unworthy and lacking in confidence among her peers.
The court sentenced him to two life terms in prison. He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm and was deemed incompetent to work with children.
IOL