The Tzaneen Regional Court has imposed life sentence on a Zimbabwean farmworker who raped and subsequently impregnated a minor girl. Picture credit: StockImages
By Montsho Matlala
Tzaneen: The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo has expressed appreciation at the sentencing of a Zimbabwean man to life imprisonment by the Tzaneen Regional Court after he was convicted for raping a minor girl.
The 42 year old accused who was a farm worker at the time had spiked the drinks of the 12 year old girl at the Z22 farm in Mooketsi and raped her when she lost control of herself, the court heard.
In another incident he did not lace her drink but imposed himself on her while they were watching television together and subsequently raped her in his room on the farm premises. The matter came to light after the teen fell pregnant and informed her elder sister who then alerted the police.
The accused whose name could not be mentioned to avoid secondary victimisation of the child denied the charges but the state led evidence of witnesses who testified he committed the sexual violations.
“The minor girl was negatively affected by the offence and even her performance at school had dropped. She was betrayed by the person she trusted and had withdrawn from outdoor activities. She had lost interest in engaging with other people especially the male figures,” state prosecutor Isaac Mahlangu submitted in aggravation of sentence.
The presiding magistrate, Antoinette Lamminga concurred that the accused had done a horrible offence to the person who looked up to him as father figure.
“The victim is struggling to come to terms with the result of the ordeal and it affects her daily operations. Having considered all factors, indeed there are no compelling circumstances that warrant deviation from the prescribed sentence,” Lamminga added.
Advocate Ivy Thenga, the director of Public Prosecutions in Limpopo expressed relief as another victim of gender based violence (GBV) received justice.
“This life sentence should deter would be perpetrators from committing similar offences. The state prosecutor and police deserve praises for achieving this outcome,” Thenga said.
