Picture: Rapist, Simao Hlongwane/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Garankuwa Regional Court for raping his niece (12). Simao Hlongwane (43) and his sister, were not staying far from each other in Mothutlung village.
At the time of the incident, Hlongwane’s sister was staying with her daughter. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in North West, Henry Mamothame, on 17 January 2017, Hlongwane sent the complainant to his other stand to clean a shack.
Mamothame said Hlongwane subsequently followed the complainant and raped her in the shack.
“The complainant went to report the matter to her sister (15), who then conveyed the message to the mother. The mother, however, failed to report the matter to the police. Evidence led in court revealed that, on 23 January 2021, the complainant who was 15 years of age at the time, in fear of being raped again, went to the police to report the matter, after the accused had continued to touch her inappropriately over some time.
“The police subsequently summoned the mother to assist the child in opening the case. The mother was described as being hesitant and unsupportive of the daughter’s actions, as the accused was their primary source of financial support,” he said.
Mamothame further said in the pre-sentence report, the mother of the complainant, described the accused to be a generous person. He added that the accused’ wife also described him as being a person who believes in religious values and prayer, and he is affiliated with a Christian church, at which he is a preacher.
In aggravation of sentence, the state prosecutor, Adv Mummy Mosonodi, convinced the court that the accused failed to demonstrate moral and religious values when he committed an offense that was against his Christian beliefs.
Mosonodi urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment. Magistrate Aggrey Sephothi agreed with the state as he imposed a sentence of life imprisonment.
The court further ordered that Hlongwane’s name be registered in the National Register of Sexual Offenders.
Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, Dr Rachel Makhari, lauded the prosecutor, Constable Caroline Mothemane from the South African Police Services (SAPS), and the assistance by the Thuthuzela Care Center to the victim, for bringing the perpetrator to book.
The Guardian 