Byline: Refeloe Letsoisa

31 October 2023

The Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court has sentenced a 59-year-old man from Masoyi Trust to life imprisonment for raping a minor boy in 2017. 

The accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm, and the court ordered his name to be entered into the National Register of Sexual Offenders.

This comes after the accused was convicted of raping his neighbour’s fifteen-year-old minor boy. 

On 18 December 2017 at around 20:30, the victim’s mother sent the victim outside his parental home. 

While outside, the victim came across the accused, who took him under the pretense that his father was calling him and ordered that he follow him to his place. 

When they arrived, the accused opened the door, and they both entered the house. 

When the victim realised that his father was not there and asked the accused about his father’s whereabouts, the accused did not answer; instead, he strangled the victim, put him on top of the bed, and raped him. 

The victim asked to go to the restroom naked, and he got an opportunity to flee the scene. 

Along the way, he met his parents and reported the rape ordeal to them. 

The accused was arrested and pleaded not guilty in court. 

He denied the allegations levelled against him. 

State prosecutor John Mahlwele led evidence of the victim, the first report, and that of the forensic nurse. 

Their evidence was supported by the testimony of the warrant officer. 

The court found the evidence of state witnesses credible and honest and convicted the accused. 

In aggravating the sentence, the state presented a victim impact statement facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Nomfundo Mokoena and compiled by the victim. 

He wrote that the rape ordeal affected him; as a result, he couldn’t walk properly for days, lost confidence, and even blamed himself for trusting and following the accused when he called him. 

Prosecutor Mahlwele argued that the prescribed minimum sentence of life must be imposed. 

The court found no compelling and substantial circumstances to justify deviation and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment. 

The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the sentence imposed on the accused and further condemns violence perpetrated against women and children, especially when it is committed by close family friends and neighbours.