A 19-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a 13-year-old girl, whom he dragged to his house and threatened with a knife while she was on her way to do her hair at Dinokana village near Zeerust in October 2011.
The Lehurutshe Regional Court also sentenced Tshiamo Godfrey Mmale to 12 months imprisonment for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and ordered that the sentences run concurrently.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Henry Mamothame, the accused confronted the young girl while she was going to the hair salon on October 16, 2011. After forcefully dragging her to his place, he violently assaulted her. Before releasing her, he threatened her with a knife and raped her.
The following day, Mmale was arrested, but the case was struck from the roll pending DNA results since he denied having sexual contact with the complainant.
As a result of the DNA test results coming back positive, the matter was re-enrolled in November 2015, when the accused changed his story, saying they had consensual sexual relations.
Botsang Phawe, the State prosecutor, argued in court that the fact that the complainant recalls the events of the traumatic day four years after they unfolded indicates that the experience will stay with her forever.
Phawe further urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment since there was no compelling reason to do so. In accordance with the State's request, Magistrate Stefan Du Toit imposed a sentence that fits the crime.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, applauded the prosecutor and the investigating officer and acknowledged the important role of the Thuthuzela Care Centre in assisting the complainant to bring the perpetrator to book.
IOL