The accused denied guilt, however, Advocate Makgomothi Masehela called on a nurse to testify about the injuries the girl sustained throughout her ordeal.
Life sentence for rape
Adv. Masehela handed in a J88 – documenting the injuries sustained by the survivor – to corroborate the evidence of the forensic nurse and successfully link the case to the culprit.
The survivor, now 16 years of age, shared details of the assault in court. She was playing in the street when the accused dragged her into the bushes and raped her.
She knew him very well as he was staying in the same village. He also slapped her and told her to go home after the incident.
The then-10-year-old reported the incident to a teacher after a few days when she experienced pain, and the matter was reported to the police.
Stigma from community
The survivor told the court she failed a school grade twice due to the stigma she experienced from the community. She suffered from nightmares as well.
The teen was also teased by “old men who told her she should sleep with them too”, the court heard.
Her mother said she spent sleepless nights as her daughter cried a lot after the incident and failed her grades at school.
Regional Spokesperson: DPP Limpopo Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi said probation officer, Ramoraswi on Friday recommended the accused be sentenced to life imprisonment.
“The presiding officer, Mr Fanie Reynolds, agreed with the state and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment for rape”, Dzhangi said.
Source: News365
