Don’t Look Away: Uncle sentenced for raping 12-year-old niece

A rapist uncle from Mpumalanga has been sentenced in the Ermelo Regional Court to life imprisonment for raping his niece.

The victim was only 12-years-old.

The name of the uncle cannot be disclosed to protect the identity of the victim and prevent secondary trauma.

The uncle pleaded guilty and was subsequently convicted for the rape.

The court heard in May 2023, the uncle was visiting his sister in Ermelo extension 5 where she resides with her daughter. In the evening, he went out with his friends to drink and came back to the home drunk. He slept in the kitchen where his two nieces were sleeping and started touching one niece and undressing her before raping her.

The matter was reported to the police and the victim was taken to Ermelo Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical attention and psychosocial support.

The uncle admitted his actions were wrong.

In aggravation of sentence, State Prosecutor Chané Rothman presented a victim impact statement facilitated by the Court Preparation Officer Faith Masango where the victim stated that she feels sad and ashamed because of what happened to her.

She added that she no longer feels comfortable playing with other kids because they say mean things to her. Rothman emphasised the devastating impact it had on the young victim, stating that the victim’s trust was betrayed by someone who was supposed to protect her, instead, he took advantage of her innocence and subjected her to horrific sexual violence.

Magistrate Eben Jonker remarked that the uncle robbed the victim of her childhood and found no substantial and compelling circumstances justifying deviation from the ordained sentence. The court sentenced the accused to life imprisonment. He was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and unsuitable to work with children and the court further ordered that his name be registered in the National Register for Sex Offenders.

Provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Monica Nyuswa said it welcomed the sentence.

“This reaffirms the NPA’s commitment to combating gender-based violence and femicide and ensuring that perpetrators face the consequences of their actions. This sentence serves as a crucial reminder of the NPA’s ongoing dedication to advocating for the rights and safety of victims within our communities,” Nyuswa said.

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