CAPE TOWN - “When I go to school, I must be accompanied by someone because I am scared in the road. I loved him as an elder brother, and this happened.”
These were the heartbreaking words of a seven-year-old girl who was raped by her next door neighbour in 2014 when she sought refuge from the rain.
Mbuyiselo Keva will spend the rest of his life behind bars after the Western Cape High Court on Friday confirmed his conviction and sentence.
Keva, 48, had raped the then 7-year-old, and threatened her with a gun not to tell anyone.
High court judges, Judge Derek Wille and Acting Judge Adrian Montzinger jointly noted that the victim impact report highlighted how the traumatic crime has influenced the child’s life.
“The statement reveals, inter alia, a position of trust by the complainant towards the appellant, by way of the following: ‘…He was very helpful towards me’; ‘…I will never forgive him for the rest of my life’; …When I go to school, I must be accompanied by someone because I am scared in the road’; ‘…I loved him as an elder brother, and this happened’.”
The girl had returned from school one day in December 2014 when it was raining and she couldn’t find her house keys.
She went next door and was offered something to eat by Keva’s girlfriend, before being “encouraged to take a nap.”
According to the high court judgment, the girl fell asleep next to Keva’s young son and the girlfriend went to the shop.
The girl was then raped by Keva, who held a gun to her and told her not to tell anyone.
The girl initially did not tell anyone, but was later triggered when Keva offered a lift to an elderly grandmother.
Judges Willie and Montzinger found that Keva should indeed spend the rest of his life in prison, and his name has been added to the official roll for sexual offenders.
They also raised questions over the girlfriend’s responsibility at the time.
“As alluded to previously and from the record of the proceedings, it may very well be that the appellant and his girlfriend may have, to some extent, facilitated this crime.
“This because the appellant’s girlfriend conveniently left the appellant and complainant alone on his bed together on the day in question.”
They added that the appellant showed no form of remorse.
“Regrettably, he does not exhibit any insight into the seriousness of the crime committed by him. This, in turn goes to the issue of his moral blameworthiness.”
Cape Times