Seven-year-old's graveyard rape culminates in 15-year jail term

A man in his 50s who raped a child in a Graaff Reinet cemetery has been served a 15-year prison sentence.

Pieter Jaftha took the girl, aged seven, from her home in Santaville in September last year to the graveyard where he raped her, police said in a statement.

He remained in custody throughout the trial in the Grahamstown high court.

Eastern Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Liziwe Ntshinga commended the investigating team and the prosecution.

She said: “The sentence is the outcome of the SAPS' unwavering commitment in the fight against crimes against women and children and gender-based violence and hard work of the investigation officer and other specialised disciplines of the SAPS together with the NPA.”

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