A man posing as a Traditional healer was given life imprisonment following what can only be described as a psychotic crime, committed against a Northern KwaZulu-Natal teenage girl.
National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara explained that the said traditional healer was officially sentenced to life imprisonment by the Madadeni Regional Court for the crimes he committed back in April 2022.
“Prior to the incident, the man befriended the girl’s mother, pretending to be a traditional healer. From his frequent visits to them, he realised that the girl often got sick and would be taken to hospital,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
This saw him suggesting to the teenage girl’s mother that he could help heal her with his traditional medicine, which would see the girl not need to go to the hospital. Sadly, the girl’s mother put her trust in the man and agreed to the suggestion.
“On the afternoon of the incident, he fetched the girl from her home, telling her mother that he would take the girl to the river for a cleansing ritual, followed by a prayer meeting with other congregants,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
The 17-year-old girl then left with the man. However, the man took the girl to his house under the guise of waiting for the other congregants to arrive. Then, the man forcefully undressed the girl and raped her twice, only releasing the young girl in the early hours of the following morning.
“The girl immediately reported her encounter to her sister and to her mother, and the matter was reported to the police. The girl was taken to the Madadeni Thuthuzela Care Centre, where she received medical and psycho-social assistance. The man was arrested shortly after,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
In court, Regional Court Prosecutor Scelo Simphiwe Hlela led the testimonies of the girl, the mother and her sister to whom the matter was first reported and the medical doctor.
“Hlela further submitted a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the girl and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Masande Mdiya. In her statement, the girl said that the incident left her traumatised and embarrassed with psychological scars. She said that she had been a virgin and that was her pride as a young girl,” explained Ramkisson-Kara.
After months in court, the man was thus sentenced to life imprisonment. “The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the successful finalisation of this matter, as it affirms our commitment to curbing the scourge of gender-based violence. We commend the work done by the Prosecution and the SAPS,” concluded Ramkisson-Kara.
As this piece of trash now prepares to start his prison sentence, what are your thoughts?
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