Johannesburg- A mentally impaired minor was raped by a man who is her brother-in-law.
The 33-year-old was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Ermelo Regional Court this week.
The 33-year-old man from Thusi Village first pleaded not guilty and claimed that the girl, who is 15 but has the mental capacity of a ten-year-old, had consented.
National Prosecuting Authority Regional Spokesperson in Mpumalanga Monica Nyuswa said on 15 March 2020, the man and the young girl attended a family function and he asked her to meet him at Emadamini Road and she complied.
“When she arrived, the man dragged her into the veld and forcefully raped her. She did not report the ordeal to anyone because she was afraid until her mother noticed her strange behavior and confronted her,” said Nyuswa.
After his arrest, he claimed the girl told him that she was 18 years old and that he was unaware of her mental condition.
Her brother testified that he saw the accused dragging his sister into the veld.
Nyuswa said a medical report confirming injuries was handed in as well as DNA results which positively linked the accused to the rape.
The perpetrator was sentenced to life imprisonment, declared unfit to work with children and his name will be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
To read more news and views from this week’s newspaper, click here.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
Sunday World
