A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Hopetown Regional Court for the rape of a nine-year-old girl, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed.
The court heard that the incident occurred on the evening of Monday, 4 August 2025. The accused followed the victim into a toilet and closed the door behind them. He ordered the child to remove her clothing before raping her and covering her mouth to prevent her from screaming.
The crime was interrupted when the victim’s cousin approached the toilet and discovered the assault. The cousin immediately alerted her aunt, who contacted the police.
A case was registered at the Hopetown Police Station and assigned to Detective Constable Retshedisitswe Faniso of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.
Investigators linked the accused to the crime through DNA evidence, leading to his arrest. He remained in custody until the conclusion of his trial.
The court found him guilty and sentenced him to 16 years of direct imprisonment. Additionally, the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm.