The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that a 28-year-old man, Zamuzi Ntlokwa, from Peddie in the Eastern Cape has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a 9-year-old girl at the High Court of South Africa in Bisho.

According to the NPA, Ntlokwane had been on parole from 15 years imprisonment for other charges including rape when he committed the crime. On the night of the incident, 28 November 2021, Ntlokwana reported visited the young girl’s home as he is known to her family and found the child with her younger brother and their caregiver.

“Ntlokwana sent the caregiver to the shop to buy cigarettes for him. He then instructed the little girl to switch off the television and the lights. He then told the children to go and sleep in their bedroom and while they were asleep, Ntlokwana entered their bedroom, undressed the girl and raped her,” said the NPA Eastern Cape regional spokesperson, Anelisa Ngcakani.

“The caregiver returned an hour later at approximately 9pm, the lights were off and the door was locked. She knocked at the door for some time but Ntlokwana did not open immediately because he was busy raping the child. He then threatened to harm the child if she dared report the rape,” Ngcakani added.

According to the NPA, the Accused, Zamumzi Ntlokwana, had pleaded not guilty to the charge and his defence was that he was with his girlfriend in his shack that evening and the girlfriend testified in his defence, however, evidence proved that they were untruthful.

The NPA welcomed the sentence and applauded the investigation team that assisted with the evidence during the trial.