An illegal immigrant from Lesotho, Thabo Kgwete, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of an eight-year-old girl last year, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Friday.
The Springs regional court also sentenced Kgwete, 34, to two years’ imprisonment for being in the country illegally.
Magistrate Nkhesani Moila ordered that his name be added to the national register for sexual offenders and that he be deported to the country of his origin after serving his sentence.
Kgwete was employed as a security guard at the block of flats where the child was staying with her father and stepmother.
On the evening of February 26 last year, the stepmother was having a birthday celebration at her flat on the second floor and the victim went with her siblings to play on the first floor where Kgwete’s flat was.
After some time, her siblings left her playing with her phone. Kgwete then approached, grabbed and dragged her to his flat where he undressed and raped her.
The case was reported to the police the next day after the mother noticed the child was not well. Kgwete was arrested same day. He had remained in custody since the state successfully opposed bail.
“In court, Kgwete pleaded guilty only to the charge of being illegally in the country but denied raping the child and said he was not at his place the day of the incident,” NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said.
However, prosecutor Salesah Phahlamohlaka presented evidence that proved Kgwete raped the child.
Through his attorney, Kgwete asked the court to be lenient when imposing a sentence.
In aggravation, Phahlamohlaka told the court Kgwete committed a serious offence towards a minor child who was known to him and robbed the child of the “opportunity to explore her sexuality and womanhood”.
North Gauteng director of public prosecutions Sibongile Mzinyathi applauded the work of the prosecutor and investigating officer, W/O Majakate Simon Phala.
TimesLIVE
Life imprisonment for man who raped eight-year-old girl
Image: 123RF/Allan Swart
An illegal immigrant from Lesotho, Thabo Kgwete, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of an eight-year-old girl last year, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Friday.
The Springs regional court also sentenced Kgwete, 34, to two years’ imprisonment for being in the country illegally.
Magistrate Nkhesani Moila ordered that his name be added to the national register for sexual offenders and that he be deported to the country of his origin after serving his sentence.
Kgwete was employed as a security guard at the block of flats where the child was staying with her father and stepmother.
On the evening of February 26 last year, the stepmother was having a birthday celebration at her flat on the second floor and the victim went with her siblings to play on the first floor where Kgwete’s flat was.
After some time, her siblings left her playing with her phone. Kgwete then approached, grabbed and dragged her to his flat where he undressed and raped her.
The case was reported to the police the next day after the mother noticed the child was not well. Kgwete was arrested same day. He had remained in custody since the state successfully opposed bail.
“In court, Kgwete pleaded guilty only to the charge of being illegally in the country but denied raping the child and said he was not at his place the day of the incident,” NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said.
However, prosecutor Salesah Phahlamohlaka presented evidence that proved Kgwete raped the child.
Through his attorney, Kgwete asked the court to be lenient when imposing a sentence.
In aggravation, Phahlamohlaka told the court Kgwete committed a serious offence towards a minor child who was known to him and robbed the child of the “opportunity to explore her sexuality and womanhood”.
North Gauteng director of public prosecutions Sibongile Mzinyathi applauded the work of the prosecutor and investigating officer, W/O Majakate Simon Phala.
TimesLIVE
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