Tshepo Veli Mazibuko, a 30-year-old South African man, was given a life sentence for raping a nine-year-old girl.

Mazibuko, the victim’s family friend, invited the victim and her younger brother to his house under the guise of attending his child’s birthday celebration.

According to Monica Nyuswa of the National Prosecuting Authority, he went to pick them up from their homestead.

“Upon their arrival at the party, the accused dropped off the victim’s younger brother and requested that the victim accompany him to buy drinks at the shop.

“Along the way, the accused drove with the victim in a different direction, stopped the vehicle next to a shack near the bushes, and asked the victim to come with him inside,” Nyuswa said.

Nyuswa disclosed that Mazibuko then locked the door, undressed the girl, and raped her.

He then threatened to murder her if she informed anyone what had happened, and he drove back to pick up the younger brother and put them off at their homestead.

“In 2019, the social workers visited the victim’s school to address children about the social ills that are happening around them, and she reported the rape and her ordeal.

“Police were alerted and the accused was arrested.

“In court, he denied he had raped the child and State prosecutor Ellen Mafata led evidence of the victim, the guardian, and the J88 medical report, which confirmed that the victim was raped,” said Nyuswa.

Mafata went on to say that the court must administer sufficient punishment to address the issue of gender-based violence.