A 21-year-old Epworth man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the minor, will spend the next 20 years behind bars for raping a four-year-old child.
Regional magistrate William Bhila, who put aside four years of the 24-year sentence, described accused behaviour as “extremely bad” and said a plea of guilty while saving the court’s time, did not absolve him of the monstrous crime.
Prosecutor Dumisani Mthombeni urged the court to pass a stiff sentence in view of the gravity of the offence. He said this must be a lesson to heartless relatives like accused.
“It must be made clear to offenders that a plea of guilty will not absolve them . . . No matter that he (accused) pleaded guilty, he behaved extremely badly and as such a lengthy custodial sentence would be appropriate,” Mthombeni said.
The prosecutor also urged the court to consider that he exposed the child to HIV infection because he abused the minor without protection.
The State also said the accused subjected his wife and the child to psychological trauma which would haunt them for life.
Before passing the sentence, the magistrate said it was worrying that cases of sexual abuse of minors by relatives were on the increase and concurred with the State that there was need for a deterrent sentence.
According to the State, accused was left in the custody of the minor last Thursday when the child’s mother left for Mbare Musika on business.
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He took the minor into his bedroom where he laid her on the bed and raped her once.
But luck was not on his side as the girl’s mother arrived just after he had finished the heinous act. The child immediately revealed what had happened and a report was made to the police, leading to his arrest.
The prosecutor told the court that the child had since been placed on medication recommended by doctors to reduce chances of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV.
