Pensioner, 70, jailed for raping his girlfriend’s daughter, 9

A pensioner who raped a young girl in 2017 was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment by the Butterworth regional court this week. 

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Sithembiso Ngwanya, 70, raped his live-in girlfriend’s nine-year-old daughter.

“On December 11 2017, the mother of the young victim left her in the shack she shared with Ngwanya near Ibika township in the district of Butterworth.

“The mother had gone to work. She was employed as a domestic worker. Ngwanya, a pensioner who worked as a security guard at night, returned from work later that morning and found the young victim playing with her peers near their shack.

“He instructed the girl to go home and raped her, before letting her go back to play with other children,” Tyali said.

The young girl reported the sexual violation to her mother when she returned from work.

“However, Ngwanya had already left for work. When he returned the following morning, he was met by furious community members who assaulted him. He was rescued by police and arrested.”

Ngwanya denied the rape during his trial and “claimed the girl fabricated the accusation with no basis”.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Jongikhaya Dudumashe, Ngwanya contradicted himself and the court found him guilty.

“Magistrate Bantu Kovu found the rapist’s age of 70 was a compelling reason for him to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment for raping a minor,” Tyali said.

He said the NPA welcomed the court ruling. 

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