Family friend sentenced to life imprisonment for raping seven-year-old boy in Mpumalanga
A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the Ermelo Regional Court in Mpumalanga.
Wonderboy Liberty Mngcina, 41, was convicted for raping the then seven-year-old boy.
The court heard that in July 2023, Mngcina went to his friend’s place of residence, where he lived with his son. Mngcina requested to sleep over as he was intoxicated, and the boy’s father allowed him to share a room with his son while he slept in a separate room.
While sleeping, the court heard Mngcina undressed the young boy and raped him. The child screamed for help, and he fled the scene.
The young boy was taken to the Ermelo Thuthuzela Care Centre for a medical examination and psychosocial support.
Mngcina was traced and arrested on the same day in Mazakhele section in Ermelo by the police.
In court, he claimed he was intoxicated at the time and denied raping the boy.
The court heard the testimony of the young boy using intermediary services. The boy’s father also testified. State Prosecutor Chańe Rothman handed over a medical report which confirmed the injuries to the young boy’s private parts.
During aggravation of sentence, Rothman argued for the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment to be imposed, stating Mngcina’s behaviour warranted a strong societal message.
The court sentenced Mngcina to life imprisonment for rape and declared him unsuitable to work with children. He was further declared unfit to possess a firearm, and it was ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sexual Offenders.
The Mpumalanga National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Minica Nyuswa said it welcomes the sentence and remains committed to fighting the scourge of gender-based violence. She said this sentence underscores the seriousness with which the criminal justice system addresses gender-based violence.
“Sexual violence not only violates the dignity and privacy of the victims as protected by the constitution, but also erodes societal trust. The NPA continues aggressively prosecuting these cases to ensure justice for all victims,” Nyuswa said.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
IOL