South Africa: Guard Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Raping Minor

The Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court on Friday convicted and sentenced Sipho Ngwenya 31, from Luphisa Trust to life imprisonment for raping an 8-year-old minor girl in 2013.

Ngwenya worked as a gardener at the victim's house, which was located in the same neighbourhood.

According to NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa, on the day of the occurrence in 2013, the accused went to the victim's residence to work and discovered her alone, at which point he pulled her to the bed and raped her.

“The victim did not report the incident to her parents as the accused was trusted by her family.

“Five years later in 2018, the victim sent a message to her class teacher and explained the rape ordeal which happened on that day.

“Her teacher conveyed the message to the victim’s mother who informed the police, and the accused was arrested,” Nyuswa said.

During the court procedures, the state relied on the victim's, her mother's, and the teacher's testimony.

According to Nyuswa, the court believed the victim's evidence was believable since she was able to provide a full and rational narrative of the occurrence.

“The court considered all the factors placed before it and sentenced Ngwenya to 21 years of direct imprisonment,” Nyuswa said.

The court also ordered that the accused's name be recorded in the National Register of Sex Offenders and that he be ruled unsuitable to possess a firearm.

Nyuswa went on to say that the National Prosecuting Authority accepts the judgment and punishment and remains dedicated to combating the epidemic of gender-based violence.