By STAFF REPORTER
22 September 2026 – A man (27) has been sentenced to 18 years imprisonment by the Pietermaritzburg Regional Court after being convicted of raping his cousin (9) in the Mpumuza area of Pietermaritzburg in December 2020. The accused was 21 years-old when the offence was committed and that he and the complainant lived with their grandmother.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson in Kwazulu-Natal, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said on the day of the incident, the two were alone at home while their grandmother was at work. Ramkisson-Kara said although they slept in separate rooms, the accused entered the child’s bedroom and raped her before threatening to kill her if she disclosed what had happened.
“The complainant reported the matter to her mother a week later when she came to fetch her for the school holidays. The matter was subsequently reported to the police and the child was referred to the Edendale Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical and psychosocial support.
“During the trial, the state prosecutor Nosipho Kunene-Ngcobo led evidence from the complainant and her mother, who was the first person to whom the child disclosed the rape. The Victim Impact Statements (VIS) prepared by the complainant and her mother were also presented to the court, with assistance from Court Preparation Officer, Nokuvela Mlotshwa,” she said.
Ramkisson-Kara further said the child continues to experience the psychological effects of the offence. She added that the complainant described the psychological trauma she continues to endure, stating that she no longer feels like a complete human being.
Ramkisson-Kara said the victim’s mother told the court that the incident had profoundly affected her daughter’s emotional wellbeing, resulting in behavioural changes and negatively affecting her studies. She said the court deviated from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment, finding that the accused’s youthfulness at the time of the offence, together with the principle of proportionality, constituted substantial and compelling circumstances.
Ramkisson-Kara said the accused was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm. She said the court further ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and the National Child Protection Register.
“The NPA remains committed to combating sexual offences and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This commitment is reinforced through the continued expansion of the Thuthuzela Care Centre network, which has grown from 55 centres in 2020/21 to 66 centres currently operating across the country.
“The centres provide integrated medical, legal and psychosocial services to survivors of sexual violence, supporting a victim-centred response while contributing to the prosecution of offenders and reducing secondary victimisation,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
The Guardian 