Man receives life sentence for raping his mentally disabled neighbor

The Madadeni Regional Court has sentenced a 44-year-old man to life imprisonment for the rape of his 15-year-old neighbor in 2021.

On the day of the incident, the mentally disabled girl was playing outside when the accused called her to his house and raped her. She reported the incident to another neighbor, but he did not report the matter immediately. Eventually, the neighbor (the first report) told the girl’s mother what had happened.

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The accused was arrested and the girl was taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre where she received the necessary psychosocial help, counselling and support.

In order to increase the sentence, prosecutor Simphiwe Scelo Hlela cited the testimony of the girl’s mother, who said the girl still shows signs of trauma and is constantly anxious. The mother also said the girl had to be constantly reassured that the accused would not return to where they lived.

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In addition to the life sentence, the court ordered that the defendant’s data be entered into the National Register of Sex Offenders.

Regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, said: “The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful conclusion of this matter as it reaffirms our commitment to curbing the scourge of gender-based violence and sexual offences. We commend the work of the Office of the Prosecutor and the SAPS.”