A man regarded as a family friend has been convicted for raping a minor. Images: iStock
Family friend sentenced to life in prison for raping a nine-year-old
A man who was regarded as a family friend was sentenced to life in prison for raping a nine-year-old child in 2017.
A man regarded as a family friend has been convicted for raping a minor. Images: iStock
The Emalahleni Regional Court has convicted and sentenced a family friend from Phola to life imprisonment for raping a nine-year-old child in 2017.
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Family friend convicted for rape of a minor
A man by the of Tshepo Veli Mazibuko, 30, was a family friend of the victim.
On the day of the incident, Mazibuko invited the victim and her younger brother from their guardian under the pretext that they were going to attend his child’s party at his residence.
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The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said that Mazibuko went to pick them up from their homestead.
Upon their arrival at the party, the family friend dropped off the victim’s younger brother and requested the victim to accompany him to buy drinks at a shop.
“Along the way, the accused drove with the victim in a different direction and stopped the vehicle next to a shack near the bushes, and ask the victim to come with him inside,” said Nyuswa.
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The victim the started to be suspicious of the location and refused to go inside the shack.
“The family friend locked the door, undressed the victim, and raped her. He then threatened to kill her if she reported and drove back to pick up the younger brother and dropped them at their homestead,” Nyuswa added.
Nyuswa said that in 2019 social workers visited the victim’s school to address children about the social ills that were happening around them.
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This was then when the victim reported the rape. Police were alerted and the family friend was arrested.
Nyuswa further adds that the family friend denied the allegation against him i court and State prosecutor Ellen Mafata led evidence of the victim, the guardian, and the J88 medical report which confirmed that the victim was raped.
