A Musina "man of the cloth" has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping an eight-year-old girl.
The Waterval Regional Court convicted and sentenced the man (41) on 31 October. The offender was only identified as "Bishop" to protect the identity of the child, but it is believed he was involved as a clergyman in the community.
The court declared him unfit to possess a firearm under Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000. It also ordered his name entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders.
Bishop pleaded not guilty.
On 8 September 2024, the victim went to an outside toilet when he pushed her to the floor and raped her. He stuffed his T-shirt in her mouth to silence her screams while strangling her.
Her aunt, hearing calls, saw the child's hands under the door. Upon opening it, she found the victim naked and Bishop pulling up his trousers.
The police were summoned, and he was arrested. The J88 medical report corroborated the victim's account.
In aggravation, State Prosecutor Lebogang Maluleke highlighted Bishop's prior 2004 convictions for five counts of attempted rape. That resulted in 25 years' imprisonment, proving no rehabilitation.
As the child's landlord, he abused trust and power. He showed no remorse and left lasting scars on the victim.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) welcomed the sentence. Director of Public Prosecutions Adv Ivy Thenga stated, "Sexual violence strips victims of dignity and privacy. The NPA fights back – hard."
She commended Maluleke and stakeholders for securing the conviction.