Police help to put child rapists in jail
Praise for two Whittlesea detectives
Two police officers have been honoured for their commitment to ensuring that perpetrators of violence against children were brought to book in the Komani area.
On Tuesday, Whittlesea family child violence unit acting branch commander Warrant Officer Calvin Scharnick praised Detective Warrant Officer Zilungele Mafojela and Constable Siviwe Mbengo for hard work which resulted in the sentencing of two child rapists.
Mafojela investigated the case of rape of a 15-year-old disabled girl from Whittlesea dating from December 2015.
He said the girl, an orphan, was left alone at home while her stepmother had gone to a traditional ceremony at Hekeni village.
“She was left with her sibling who was eight at the time, when a man, who is related to the family, sent the younger child to buy him loose cigarettes at the store. He took the victim to the outside toilet where he raped her.
“The police were alerted by a neighbour who saw him taking the girl to the toilet.”
Mafojela said the child was found in the toilet and the police alerted. The suspect fled to Cape Town and then to Port Elizabeth, but was apprehended three months later.
The name of the convicted man is known to The Rep, but due to the fact that he is related to the victim, his name will not be made known.
Mafojela said the community had helped by providing information which led to the arrest.
The case was finalised in the Bhisho High Court when the accused was sentenced to 22 years in jail.
Mafojela said such cases were common in the Chris Hani district and that it was hoped that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
Mbengo investigated the case of Vuyolwethu Langeni following the sexual assault of children in Ntabethemba in 2016.
The Rep reported, (“Langeni sentenced to life for child rape”, August 24) that Langeni had forced three friends of a nine-year-old girl to watch while he raped her in his home.
Langeni was found guilty on eight counts by magistrate Fungile Dotwana. The counts included two counts of attempted rape, for which he received a sentence of seven years in prison, three years in prison for making the children watch, five years for the sexual assault of the boy and life for the rapes, with the sentences to run concurrently.
The children were aged between seven and nine.
“Such cases do affect us. As a father you tend to be more protective of your children. If they are playing outside, you go out to check if they are still okay. It is important for people not to fully trust people with their children.”