Ntokozo Zikhali Receives Life Sentence for Rape: Victim’s Mother Finds Closure

Ntokozo Zikhali received a life sentence for the rape of a nine-year-old girl. This sentencing offers closure to the victim’s family after two years of suffering. The mother of the young girl, hailing from Wattville, expressed relief that justice had been served. This significant ruling was handed down by the Pretoria High Court sitting at the Benoni Magistrate’s Court on August 10.

Zikhali admitted to the rape during the second day of his trial on August 1, acknowledging his guilt. He confessed to unlawfully sexually penetrating the young victim without her consent on August 8, 2021. The incident occurred as she was playing in a park. After her friends left, Zikhali approached her, manipulated her into accompanying him, and then raped her at a dam.

In his guilty plea, Zikhali revealed that he knew his actions were wrong. He wanted to apologise to the child by returning to the park to find her. The court determined that he exhibited no remorse because DNA evidence linked him to the crime.

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While Zikhali faced a litany of charges, including the murder of Bokgabo Poo (4), the court acquitted him of the charges related to the latter case, where authorities discovered the child’s mutilated body in a veld in Wattville. Despite this, Judge Ian Cox highlighted the gravity of Zikhali’s rape conviction, stating that child rape is a concerning and pervasive issue in South Africa.

Judge Cox noted the crime’s severe emotional and psychological impact on the young victim during the sentencing. Although she did not sustain significant physical injuries, she suffered gynaecological injuries that would leave lasting emotional scars. The judge hoped this trauma would not negatively affect her future relationships.

In a victim impact statement read before sentencing, the victim’s mother conveyed her pain and anguish over the ordeal, emphasising the lasting trauma and memories that the year 2021 would forever hold for her family. She called Zikhali a danger to society and believed he should be in prison for his crimes.

While this ruling brings solace to the victim’s family, it also highlights the urgency for greater efforts to address child rape in South Africa. Zikhali’s case underscores the profound impact of such heinous crimes on individuals, families, and society.

Source: Bokgabo suspect gets life in prison for raping child (9) in 2021

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Picture: Twitter / sa_crime

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