Woman, 19, sentenced to 20 years for rape of nine-year-old neighbour - IOL

The Umzimkhulu Regional Court sentenced a 19-year-old woman to 20 years’ direct imprisonment for the rape of her nine-year-old neighbour in the Ibisi area.

A 19-year-old woman has been sentenced to 20 years’ direct imprisonment for the rape of her nine-year-old neighbour in the Ibisi area of KwaZulu-Natal.

The Umzimkhulu Regional Court handed down the sentence after finding the woman guilty of raping the child after calling her into her room.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the woman instructed the nine-year-old to undress before sexually assaulting her.

“The woman called the victim to her room where she instructed the child to undress and raped her with her fingers,” Netshiunda said.

The conviction was among several lengthy sentences handed down by the Umzimkhulu Regional Court following investigations by the Kokstad Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit.

Netshiunda said the court had a busy end to the month as serious sexual offences cases reached the sentencing stage.

In another case before the court, convicted serial rapist Tenes Hassan, 33, was sentenced to six terms of life imprisonment for raping six women in Umzimkhulu between January and December 2022.

Police said Hassan broke into homes where women were either alone or with their children, demanded cellphones and money and then raped them. Most of the attacks occurred between 2am and 3am.

“On all the six rape cases, the 33-year-old Hassan broke into the houses where women were staying by themselves or with their children, demanded cellphones and money before raping them,” Netshiunda said.

Detectives from the Kokstad FCS Unit were able to connect Hassan to all six cases using DNA evidence.

“The Kokstad Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit detectives collected pieces of evidence and linked Hassan to all the rape cases through the DNA,” Netshiunda said.

Hassan was also sentenced to an additional eight years for housebreaking.

The same court also sentenced a 45-year-old man to life imprisonment for raping his five-year-old niece in the Gowan Lea policing precinct on December 28, 2025.

Police said the girl was playing at a neighbour’s house when her uncle called her to his home. Her brother followed her, but the man chased him away before raping the child.

Police said all three convicted offenders will have their names entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.