“On his arrival, he found that his girlfriend had gone to town. The toddler was playing with her peers nearby. Xuzelo then called the unsuspecting young girl, his girlfriend’s niece, into his girlfriend’s shack where he raped her.
“Older children, who had been playing with the victim heard their friend screaming inside the closed shack and went to report what was happening to the mother of the child who was with her friends at a neighbouring homestead,” said Tyali.
He said Xuzelo fled before the girl's mother reached her shack.
“The mother took the child to Madeira police station and proceeded to Sinawe Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) in Mthatha Regional Hospital, where doctors confirmed that the child had been raped. Xuzelo managed to evade arrest until 2018,” he said.
He said the man pleaded not guilty. The victim testified against her perpetrator.
“Prosecutor Kaunda Zongo also led the evidence of two more witnesses and presented DNA evidence linking Xuzelo to the crime, leading to his conviction. The state prayed for the imposition of the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said Bomvu stayed in the same neighbourhood in Norwood as the five-year-old girl.
“On 12 May 2018, he visited the little girl’s home and he consumed alcohol with the girl’s father, as they usually did as friends. The victim’s parents got out of the house to talk to another visitor, but on their return, they could not find Bomvu and their daughter.
Life, and 22 years in jail for two men who raped minors in separate incidents
Image: 123RF/ Artit Oubkaew
Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment and 22 years respectively by the Mthatha regional court on Monday after they were convicted of raping minor children in separate incidents.
National Prosecuting Authority said Simphiwe Xuzelo, 41, for a rape of six-year-old, was sentenced to life while Simphiwe Bomvu, 37, was meted 22 years for a rape of a six-year-old.
In 2013, May 2, Xuzelo visited his girlfriend at Thembula informal settlement near Mayden Farm in Mthatha.
“On his arrival, he found that his girlfriend had gone to town. The toddler was playing with her peers nearby. Xuzelo then called the unsuspecting young girl, his girlfriend’s niece, into his girlfriend’s shack where he raped her.
“Older children, who had been playing with the victim heard their friend screaming inside the closed shack and went to report what was happening to the mother of the child who was with her friends at a neighbouring homestead,” said Tyali.
He said Xuzelo fled before the girl's mother reached her shack.
“The mother took the child to Madeira police station and proceeded to Sinawe Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) in Mthatha Regional Hospital, where doctors confirmed that the child had been raped. Xuzelo managed to evade arrest until 2018,” he said.
He said the man pleaded not guilty. The victim testified against her perpetrator.
“Prosecutor Kaunda Zongo also led the evidence of two more witnesses and presented DNA evidence linking Xuzelo to the crime, leading to his conviction. The state prayed for the imposition of the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said Bomvu stayed in the same neighbourhood in Norwood as the five-year-old girl.
“On 12 May 2018, he visited the little girl’s home and he consumed alcohol with the girl’s father, as they usually did as friends. The victim’s parents got out of the house to talk to another visitor, but on their return, they could not find Bomvu and their daughter.
27-year-old gets two life sentences for murder and rape of girl, 9
“The mother went to search outside and found Bomvu inside the servants’ quarters toilet with his pants down and the girl’s pants lowered. The girl’s mother then raised alarm and neighbours rushed to the scene of the incident,” he said.
He said police were called and the child was taken to the doctor who confirmed that the child had been sexually violated.
“During trial, the state tendered evidence of the child, assisted by an intermediary, as well as the evidence of her mother. Bomvu denied raping the child, claiming to have been assisting her after she told him she wanted to relieve herself. The court found Bomvu’s version of events as improbable and convicted him as charged,” he added.
DispatchLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos