Former world powerboat champion Lionel Ball was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in the Grahamstown High Court on Thursday, for raping a child. Judge Judith Roberson found that Ball had raped the girl, who was 11 at the time, after she was brought to him by his domestic worker and co-accused, Nokuzola Ntonga, in October 2009.
Former world powerboat champion Lionel Ball was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in the Grahamstown High Court on Thursday, for raping a child. Judge Judith Roberson found that Ball had raped the girl, who was 11 at the time, after she was brought to him by his domestic worker and co-accused, Nokuzola Ntonga, in October 2009. Ball was sentenced to 15 years for rape and seven years for sexual exploitation. Ntonga, 38, was found guilty of conspiracy and aiding and abetting Ball to commit a sexual offence and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, seven years for sexual exploitation and 10 years for trafficking. Judge Judith Roberson ordered that their sentences run concurrently, and that their names be entered into the register for sexual offenders. ((can cut from here))) Last year the state called for a lengthy prison sentences to be imposed on Ball and Ntonga. During the trial, the girl testified that she knew Ntonga, who had come to the house with a friend and told her she would take her to a social worker to get shoes and clothes. The child got into the car and was later taken to Ball’s home in Amalinda, East London, where she was raped. Afterwards Ball forced her into the shower and then locked her in the bedroom before driving her back home. Ball admitted the child was brought to his home, but denied he had raped her. He said he left her watching television in his bedroom before giving her food, some clothes and R200 for shoes. Judge Judith Roberson said it was inexplicable that Ball would take a child he “did not know from a bar of soap”, allow her to watch television in his bedroom and then give her a relatively large sum of money. Delivering the sentence on Thursday, Roberson said the pair had treated the child as a commodity” to be bought and sold. She said adults were supposed to protect children and care about their welfare. The accused did the opposite. They took advantage as adults to gain the trust of the child and then betrayed that trust, said Roberson. ((to here))) Roberson said there were substantial and compelling circumstances which had persuaded her to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentences. Roberson said both accused were first offenders. She said Ball had shown initiative and drive in his work and sport and the development of previously disadvantaged individuals. He has been an asset to society,” she said. “Ntonga, under her disadvantaged circumstances was a good wife and devoted mother of three young children,” said Roberson. She ordered that their sentences run concurrently, and that their names be entered into the register for sexual offenders. (((OR HERE)))
