A 25-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and an additional 10 years for attempted murder by the Madadeni Regional Court. The man raped and tried to kill a 17 and 10-year-old, aunt and niece. It is alleged that the two were at home alone when the man came over and asked to watch TV.

THE VICTIMS ARE RELATED 

 According to Natasha Ramkisson- Kara, provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on the day of the incident in October 2022, the two girls were at home when the man who is their neighbour, came over to watch TV. He sat with the aunt in the lounge, while the younger girl was in the bedroom. At some stage, the younger girl heard a muffled sound. She went to the lounge and found the man stabbing her aunt. She ran into the room and locked the door. The man then ran behind her and broke down the door, asking her to remove her clothes. Ramkisson-Kara said when the 10-year-old refused, the accused went back into the lounge and dragged her aunt to the bedroom, threatening to kill her aunt if she did not undress.

THEY PLAYED ALONG

"He then took the younger girl into another room where he raped her. Afterwards, they begged him to call an ambulance because the aunt was bleeding heavily. He initially refused but eventually called the ambulance after the aunt and her niece promised not to tell anyone about what he had done," Kara explained, adding that the convicted rapist watched his victims closely at the hospital so that they would not report him to anyone. She said when the younger girl's mother arrived, they confided in her and the man was subsequently arrested. In a Victim Impact Statement presented to the court, the 10-year-old girl said she feels like her life is over. She said that she and her aunt now live in fear. "The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter, as it affirms our commitment to curbing the scourge of Gender-Based Violence and sexual offenses."