Siyanda Madlebe was this week sentenced to life in jail by the Bisho magistrate’s court after he was found guilty of raping his girlfriend’s granddaughter.
Madlebe, from Gxulu location in the Eastern Cape, is believed to have been romantically involved with the victim’s grandmother and was living with them between 2018 and 2019.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in the region, Luxolo Tyali, the 47-year-old repeatedly raped the nine-year-old child on numerous occasions.
“Their living arrangement was that the victim sleeps in the kitchen while her grandmother and her boyfriend slept in the bedroom. During the night, Madlebe would come to the kitchen, undress the victim, and rape her.
“He would close her mouth with his hand to prevent her from screaming. He also threatened to kill her if she reported the rape,” said Tyali.
He further shared that when the victim told her grandmother about what Madlebe had done to her, the grandmother turned a blind eye and chose to reprimand her instead.
“Madlebe was only arrested after the victim informed her mother after moving out of her grandmother’s home in 2021. During the trial, Madlebe pleaded not guilty, denying everything,” said Tyali.
The court also ordered that his name be included in the National Register of Sexual Offenders.
The Eastern Cape director of public prosecutions, Barry Madolo, has welcomed the sentencing and commended the prosecution team and the investigating officer for their diligent collection and presentation of evidence.
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