A 20-year- old man from Imbali outside Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu Natal has blamed his heinous crimes on a breakup and depression. The accused admitted to the rapes and pleaded guilty to raping four minor boys in May 2021.
The accused claimed that he had been suffering from depression following his break-up with his girlfriend. He said that he had initially considered suicide but decided to rape the boys instead. On the day of the incident, the children were playing outside his house when he called them individually into his room and raped them. The matter came to light when his stepbrother reported the rape to their father. The young man who can't be named to protect the identity of his stepbrother, was sentenced to four life terms for the rapes.
NPA Regional Spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the father then approached the parents of the other boys and they all went to the Edendale Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) where the matter was reported. "At the TCC, the children received psycho-social intervention as well as holistic medico-legal assistance. The man was then pointed out to the police and arrested. He remained in custody and the matter was proceeding to trial when he decided to plead guilty," she said.
In aggravation of sentence, Regional Court Prosecutor Yashania Manickum told the court that the man’s actions proved that he is a danger to society; and at such a young and impressionable age, the boys have learnt to distrust elders. Manickum also submitted a Victim Impact Statement compiled by one of the children and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Thobekile Babongile Chuene. In his statement the boy said:" I do not understand why the man had raped me. I wish for the court to punish the man so that he will not do this to anyone else." In sentencing the accused the court also deemed him unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his name must be entered in the National Register for Sex Offenders.
– Mojalove
