A man from the Dennilton policing area has been sentenced to three life terms in prison after being convicted of repeatedly raping his 13-year-old niece.

The Groblersdal Magistrate’s Court handed down the sentence on Wednesday, after finding the accused guilty on three counts of rape.

The court ordered that the sentences for the second and third counts run concurrently with the first, resulting in an effective sentence of life imprisonment.

According to court testimony, the abuse began on 11 January 2025 at the victim’s parental home in Moteti C. While the young girl was sleeping in her aunt’s bedroom, her uncle entered the room and sexually assaulted her, threatening to kill her if she told anyone.

Between January and August 2025, the accused subjected the girl to repeated sexual assaults, continuously intimidating her into silence.

The final incident occurred on 26 August 2025, when the accused dragged the victim away while she was sleeping alongside her cousins and raped her again.

The ordeal came to light five days later, on 31 August 2025, when the victim’s sister asked about her wellbeing, prompting the teenager to disclose the abuse.

The family immediately reported the matter to the authorities.

Police arrested the suspect on 2 September 2025.

The docket was assigned to Detective Sergeant Thabitha Letladi of the Groblersdal Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, whose thorough investigation secured the conviction on all three counts.

The Acting Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Major General Lesiba Mashilo, welcomed the court’s ruling and praised Detective Sergeant Letladi, the prosecuting team, and all stakeholders involved in bringing the perpetrator to justice.

“We remain committed to protecting vulnerable members of our communities and ensuring that offenders are held accountable for their actions,” Major General Mashilo said.

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