Pretoria - The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 47-year-old man to life and eight years imprisonment for the rape of a 13-year-old girl and the attempted rape of a 11-year-old girl at a Pretoria hotel.
On 20 November, 2020, the girls were walking back home from the shops in Saulsville, Atteridgeville when they met Thulani Khumalo.
Khumalo forced the girls into the car and drove with them to town in Pretoria. He then went to a restaurant and ordered them to buy alcohol, however, the children refused and he went on to buy alcohol for himself.
He then proceeded to a hotel and booked a room. He told the receptionist that the girls were his children and that he was going to sleep on the floor.
“When they got to the room he assaulted them and proceeded to rape the 13-year-old and attempted to rape the 11-year-old.
“The 11-year-old got an opportunity to escape. He chased and caught up with her, but a security guard had already heard her scream.
“Khumalo was apprehended by security, handed over to the police and arrested on the same day,” said NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana.
Mahanjana said Khumalo pleaded guilty and asked the court to show him mercy when imposing a sentence as he had pleaded guilty.
However, the court indicated that Khumalo was not remorseful and was out on probation after being convicted for rape and sentenced to seven years.
“When sentencing, the magistrate agreed with the State and said he was not convinced that compelling circumstances exist for him to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence,” Mahanjana added.
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