KZN man gets life behind bars for raping his niece

WARNING: This article contains details of child sexual assault.

DURBAN - The Nquthu Regional Court in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday sentenced a 45-year-old man accused of raping his 11-year-old niece back in 2018 to life in prison, plus 12 months.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, reportedly raped her on several occasions at their Mondlo home in Vryheid, northern KwaZulu-Natal.

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The victim highlighted that her uncle threatened to kill her if she reported him to anyone.

The perpetrator was nabbed after family members became suspicious about the time the man spent with the child.

During trial proceedings, the state led evidence from the victim, her siblings, as well as her medical report.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said this was a successful prosecution.

“The man was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and 12 months imprisonment for sexual assault, and the court declared him unsuitable to work with children. The court ordered that his name be added into the national register for sex offenders, and he was found unfit to possess a firearm.”

In her confession statement, the victim said the sexual assault by her uncle affected her school work, and that she attempted to take her own life.

The NPA welcomed the prosecution, saying this should serve as a message to would-be offenders.