A 49-year old man from Fort Beaufort was sentenced to life imprisonment last week for raping a five-year-old girl.
The presiding Judge Phakamisa Tshiki stated that although the age of the accused meant that a life sentence would be unnecessary, the circumstances surrounding the rape were such that he deserved to be given the maximum sentence.
A 49-year old man from Fort Beaufort was sentenced to life imprisonment last week for raping a five-year-old girl.
The presiding Judge Phakamisa Tshiki stated that although the age of the accused meant that a life sentence would be unnecessary, the circumstances surrounding the rape were such that he deserved to be given the maximum sentence.
The accused raped the complainant in an unused vandalised house, where she had been playing with two of her friends. He had chased the friends away before raping her at knifepoint.
The reasons stated by the judge for giving the maximum sentence were the age of the complainant, as well as the fact that the accused and the complainant are distantly related and knew each other prior to the incident.
In addition, considering his age, he should have been like a grandfather to the complainant, and should have protected her from harm.
The accused is also an habitual criminal with a record dating back to 1981. He is also a member of a gang, and has been previously sentenced to a respective four years and five years in prison for theft.
The judge also noted that the complainant has been gravely affected psychologically as a result of the rape.
Her great grandmother testified in court that the complainant is constantly tearful, that she only speaks when spoken to, and that she shies away from male figures.
Also noted by the judge was the fact that the complainant’s family does not have the means to provide the child with the psychological help that she needs, and that the ordeal will likely cause further issues later on in her life.
