Man (47) handed 4 life sentences for raping, impregnating girl (13) battling cancer

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A 47-year-old man from Tsakane Extension 13, East of Joburg, has been sentenced to four life terms for raping and impregnating a 13-year-old girl battling cancer.

The Tsakane Regional court heard that the sexual assault incidents took place between December 2015 and April 2016, while the minor visited her grandmother's place.

It has emerged that the man who is a family friend and a neighbour would call the child to his place, rape her and threaten to kill her if she told anyone.

The man was arrested but his case was provisionally withdrawn in November 2016 and placed back on the court roll in 2020.

The State urged for life imprisonment arguing that not only did the man impregnate the child he also infected her with HIV and took away her innocence.

Gauteng’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, explained: "The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, with his name added to the National Register for Sexual Offenders and declared him unfit to work with children."