Security officer sentenced to life for raping teen in Roodepoort
A 26-year-old security officer tasked with the protection of a residential complex has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape of a 14-year-old girl in Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg.
The sentence comes as the country commemorates Women's Month.
Mpho Antonio Lebona appeared in the Roodepoort Magistrates' Court, where the sentence was handed down.
The teen was raped in Florida in January 2021.
Trial
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said during the trial, evidence showed the devastating impact of the crime, with the victim providing a detailed and harrowing account of the assault.
'The accused admitted to being with the victim but claimed their interaction was consensual. However, the Magistrate, Thelma Simpson, dismissed his testimony as entirely false and improbable, convicting him of rape, which led to the subsequent sentence.'
Regional Court Prosecutor Claude Payne presented a Victim Impact Statement from the girl and her mother, which highlighted the trauma, particularly the brutal loss of the victim's virginity.
'Citing the nature of the crime against a child, the Magistrate deemed life imprisonment the only befitting sentence, reflecting the court's commitment to justice for such heinous acts,' Mjonondwane said.
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Rape
Mjonondwane added that during her ordeal, the teen managed to escape and immediately reported the incident to other residents, which led to Lebona's arrest at the scene, and he was charged with rape.
'Further investigations by Sergeant Baloyi revealed that the incident occurred on the accused's first day of employment, where he was tasked with overseeing access to the complex's communal washing area.
'The victim, who resided at the complex, approached Lebona to unlock the washing area. The victim's parents were at work during the commission of the offence, the accused locked the door behind them and raped the victim, also inflicting a bite wound on her neck,' Mjonondwane said.
ALSO READ: Man masquerading as pastor sentenced to life for raping at least 10 children in KZN
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