Johannesburg – A 25-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the Tonga Regional Court on Tuesday for raping a 10-year-old girl.

Bongani Khoza was arrested on 26 June 2010, at his house in Mpumalanga after raping the girl, who is now 14.

He pleaded guilty when he appeared in court on Tuesday.

Khoza’s Legal Aid lawyer, Xolani Mahlalela, asked the court to give his client a lenient sentence.

Mahlalela said his client was an unmarried, first offender without children.

“Your Worship, please also consider that my client was never granted any bail since his arrest four years ago,” he said.

Mahlalela asked the court to consider that the victim did not have any permanent injuries.

“My client is very much sorry about what happened as he had indicated in his affidavit that he was drunk when he raped the girl, whom he grabbed from the street when he was coming from enjoying alcohol,” said Mahlalela.

SAPA