On 18 April 2018, a girl aged 14, from Macekeni Reserve in Ngwelezane, who came back from school, went outside to wash her school uniform, a few minutes later, her friend came in looking for her who was told that she was outside washing her school uniform. They checked for her outside but she was nowhere to the found.
The mother began to worry and searched the yard when she heard screams coming from one of the rooms in her premises. She went to investigate and was shattered to find her tenant Petros Lungu (50) raping her 14 year old daughter.
Fully aware that she cannot take the law into her own hands, she locked the suspect in the room and called the police. Within seconds police officers from Empangeni were at the scene and arrested the suspect. The docket was transferred to the Empangeni Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS).
The victim alleged that while she was washing her school uniform she was called by the accused into his room. He locked the door, overpowered and raped her. She attempted to fight him off however he overpowered her. She was relieved when she saw her mother entering the room because she knew it was all over and she was safe.
The accused made several court appearances until he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Empangeni Regional Court on 29 January 2020.
“Children are very trusting and it’s very disturbing when the people they trust turn out to be the evil ones. The young lady trusted the accused and didn’t think one day he was going turn against her and abuse her. We thank the police and the just system for always protecting women and children against the perpetrators. We also applauded the mother for not taking the law into her on hands and for trusting the justice systems to do what it does best,” said the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
