Uncle sentenced to Life for rape of his minor nieces

The Morebeng Regional Court, Limpopo has sentenced a 35-year-old man from Sekakeng village in Botlokwa to life imprisonment for rape and sexual assault of his minor nieces. The minor victims’ ages ranged from six to eleven years.

Witnesses testified that during winter school holidays in 2022, the victims had visited their grandmother, who stayed with the accused. The accused would then call the victims to his room, pretending that he wanted to send them to the shop.

Upon entering his room, the accused then locked the room and sexually assaulted two of the victims and raped them.

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After the ordeal, he threatened to assault them with their mother if they reported the matter. One of the minor victims reported the incident to their aunt about a month later, and the matter was subsequently reported to the police.

The names of both victims and accused are concealed to protect the identity of the victims as they are related.

The accused pleaded not guilty, and in his plea explanation, he stated that the case was fabricated against him by both the victims and their mothers.

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The state Prosecutor, Andrew Kgatle argued that the accused was on parole for rape, and it appears prison did not rehabilitate him.

Furthermore, the entire family is now broken down as a result of the accused’s deeds and this incident will haunt the children for the rest of their lives because, not only were they sexually assaulted but were also made to witness others being sexually assaulted and raped.

The state concluded by arguing that the prevalence and scourge of Gender-Based Violence and sexual violence cases needed more severe sentences imposed by the courts.

The Limpopo Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv. Ivy Thenga urged others not to be afraid to report on crime. The DPP commended the diligent work done by Mr Kgatla and other stakeholders involved in securing the conviction.