A GARDENER WAS SENTENCED TO 21 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR THE RAPE OF A MINOR GIRL
The Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court convicted and sentenced Sipho Ngwenya (31), from Luphisa Trust to 21 years of direct imprisonment for raping a minor girl aged 08. Ngwenya was a gardener at the victim’s home, situated in the same neighbourhood. On the day of the incident in 2013, the accused went to the victim’s house to work and found the victim alone. He dragged the victim 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.
In court, the state relied on the evidence of the victim, her mother, and the teacher. The court found the victim’s testimony credible as she was able to give a detailed and logical account of the incident. The court considered all the factors placed before it and sentenced Ngwenya to 21 years of direct imprisonment. It further ordered the accused name to be entered in the National Register for Sex Offenders and was declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The National Prosecuting Authority acknowledges the conviction and sentence and remains committed to vigorously fighting the scourge of gender-based violence.
