NXUBA - Micheal Van der Walt, an 18-year-old teenager, was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for raping 15-year-old girl who now is 18 years old.
The sentence was handed down by the Nxuba Reginal Court in the Eastern Cape.
The heinous crime dates back to 11 March 2023 when Van der Walt was also 15 years old and attended a boys’ boarding school near Nxuba, while the complainant was a high school student.
According to Eastern Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali, on the day of the offence Van der Walt was returning from a rugby match in Bloemfontein and welcomed to the complainant's home for the weekend.
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But later that night, he went into her room and raped her.
Tyali said initially the complainant kept the incident to herself until June 2023, when she confided in a friend, who encouraged her to inform her mother.
The matter was later reported to police, Van der Walt was then arrest and released on bail pending trial.
“Based on the overwhelming evidence, the court rejected the accused’s explanation, finding it inconsistent and damaging to his credibility, and subsequently convicted him of rape,” Tyali said.
Because Van der Walt was a first-time offender and considering the potential for rehabilitation, Tyali said the court sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment, in line with the provisions of the Child Justice Act for Schedule 3 offences.
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He is serving his sentence a juvenile correctional facility, where he is required to participate in rehabilitation and counselling programmes.
“Upon reaching the age of 21, he will be transferred to an adult correctional facility to serve the remainder of his sentence,” he said.
Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Barry Madolo welcomed the sentence and said it demonstrates the justice system’s commitment to protecting vulnerable children while balancing the rehabilitation of young offenders.
Madolo said they remain committed to ensuring that victims receive justice and support, and that perpetrators, regardless of age, are held accountable for their actions.