COURT SENTENCES MAN TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPING A CHILD
The Director of Public Prosecution in the Northern Cape applauds the work of the prosecution team and colleagues in the South African Police Service, in the successful arrest and prosecution of Shadrack Maans. The 25-year-old accused was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Victoria West Regional Court, for raping a 5-year-old child. On 27 October 2017, the accused who was 19 years old during the commissioning of the crime, and residing on a farm near Victoria West, was requested by the mother of the child to transport her daughter back to their home as the accused was also en route there.
The accused agreed to ride along with the child and continued to load the child in his horse-drawn cart and commenced with their journey. Along the way, the accused stopped his cart and began to rape the child. When the child arrived home, the family noticed that her clothes and blanket were soaked in blood. The child was taken for medical examination and multiple injuries were observed in the child’s private parts. The case was reported to the police and the accused was arrested.
During the trial, the prosecution represented by Adv. Van Wyk, from the De Aar office, argued that the rape of the infant by an adult was a horrendous act and that the court should not deviate from the maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Van Wyk further reminded the court, that the accused betrayed the trust that the mother and the child had placed in him by violating the child and the court should ensure that he is sentenced appropriately.
During sentencing, the suspect was sentenced to life imprisonment with his name also being entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm by the Victoria West Regional Court.
The National Prosecuting Authority continues to lead in the fight against the scourge of Gender-Based Violence.
