Clermont child rapist sentenced to 15 years

Yesterday, the Empangeni regional Court sentenced a51-year-old man to 25 years imprisonment for raping a five-year-old girl six years ago.

The child had been on her way to school when the accused grabbed her and raped her in his house.

The little girl was threatened with death if she told anyone but when her teacher realised something was amiss and the child spoke out.

In a separate case - a forty sever-year-old man was sentenced to fifteen years in prison yesterday by the Pinetown Regional Court after being found guilty of raping a seven-year-old girl in Clermont, south of Durban in March.

Themba Jali, was caught in the act by the neighbours of his young victim who then informed the child's mother.

Community members had seen the little girl entering the accused house. The victim later confirmed that she had been raped by the accused on different occasions.

Operation Bobbi Bear's Jackey Branfield says while they welcome the sentence, harsher ones do need to imposed on those who rape children.

"The rape of a seven-year-old is barbaric. I wish it was twenty because the children are robbed of their childhood, they're robbed of their esteem, they are also robbed of their dignity in the community," she said.