Woman sentenced to life in prison for r@ping younger brother

A 28-year-old woman from Osizweni in Newcastle, South Africa, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to repeatedly r@ping her eight-year-old biological brother.

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The woman, whose identity has been withheld to protect the child, was sentenced by the Madadeni Regional Court after admitting to the offences under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Act.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority South Africa, the abuse took place between 2022 and 2024 while both siblings lived in the same household with their mother in Osizweni.

“The complainant and the accused are biological siblings… whilst the accused was alone with the complainant at home, the accused raped the complainant on diverse occasions. She further displayed pornographic material to him on those occasions and threatened him not to tell anyone,” the NPA said.

The case only came to light in 2024 after the child attended a school presentation on sexual offences, where pupils were encouraged to report inappropriate behaviour.

“This presentation encouraged him to report the matter to his mother,” the NPA added. Following the disclosure, the child was taken to a Thuthuzela Care Centre for medical and psychological support, and police were notified, leading to the woman’s arrest.

During sentencing, prosecutor Zama Zikalala highlighted the abuse of trust, noting the accused was the victim’s older sister. The child’s mother also gave evidence on the lasting psychological impact on her son.

The court handed down life imprisonment for the r@pe charges and an additional five-year sentence for exposing a minor to pornographic material. The woman was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and ordered to be listed on the National Register for S3x Offenders.

The NPA said it welcomed the sentence as the fight against s3xual violence, particularly against children, remains a top priority. “The expansion of Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs) across the country from 55 in 2020/21 to 66 currently continues to play a vital role in providing comprehensive support to victims of s3xual offences.”