Life in jail for man who raped his six-year-old niece 14 years ago

A man who raped his six-year-old niece multiple times when he was 18 in 2010 has been sentenced by the Booysens magistrate’s court to life in jail. 

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Friday the uncle, now 32, had been entrusted with her care in Naturena, Johannesburg, while her parents were at work.

“Investigations revealed the uncle would often take her and her younger brother to school, but unbeknown to the family, he was committing heinous crimes against the young girl, with the abuse occurring almost weekly,” NPA spokesperson Phindoi Mjonondwane said. 

She said the case only came to light in 2020, when the victim, now an adult, confronted her uncle about the abuse and he admitted to the crimes.

“However, despite his earlier admission, the accused pleaded not guilty in court, raising a defence of bare denial.” 

His legal team argued the victim had not reported the crime in time and that many years had passed. 

Mjonondwane said prosecutor Melash Israel presented compelling aggravating evidence, highlighting the severity of the crime and the fact that the victim was only six when the abuse occurred.

The court rejected the accused’s defence, noting that he had breached the trust placed in him by his brother to care for the child. 

“This sentence serves as a reminder of the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions, especially when it comes to crimes against children,” Mjonondwane said. 

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