Life imprisonment for rape of special needs girl
A 50-year-old accused from Roodepan was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a vulnerable child.
Image: File / IOL Archives
THE KIMBERLEY Regional Court sentenced Ernest Beukus, 50, to life imprisonment for raping a special needs child from Roodepan.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Northern Cape spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the accused was 43 years old at the time of the offence.
"The brutal assault took place on October 19, 2019, in Roodepan, Kimberley. The 15-year-old girl suffers from epilepsy and was walking to extra classes on a Saturday morning. Beukus forcibly dragged her into an abandoned building, threatened her with a knife, and raped her."
He said the girl reported the incident to a teacher the following Monday, prompting immediate police involvement.
"Through a thorough investigation, authorities arrested Beukus and charged him with rape. He remained in custody throughout the proceedings, as the prosecution successfully opposed his bail application."
Senokoatsane stated that the state led by Advocate Nicola van Niekerk utilised specially weighted dolls to assist the girl when she testified during the trial, given that she had special needs.
"A comprehensive victim impact statement, prepared by Lerato Modisane, powerfully detailed the profound and lasting trauma endured by the girl, who collapsed several times while testifying."
He indicated that the accused was declared unfit to possess a firearm under the Firearms Control Act.
"The life sentence delivers a clear message: sexual violence, particularly against vulnerable community members, will face the full force of the law."
He urged citizens, families, schools, law enforcement, and civil society to unite in protecting the vulnerable.
"By staying vigilant, reporting crimes promptly, and breaking the silence, society can weaken perpetrators and build safer spaces for women and children everywhere," Senokoatsane said.