A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the defilement of a grade 9 pupil.
The ruling, which followed a trial that exposed the abuse of the minor, followed section 8(1) of the Sexual Offences Act No. 3 of 2006.
The offences took place on November 14, 2024, in the Paradise area of Langoni location.
The court heard that the victim’s mother had offered Athman and his cousin, a visitor from Somalia, shelter in her home.
The abuse began the night after the cousin’s departure, when the victim awoke to find himself naked and Athman assaulting him.
The boy testified that when he resisted, Athman threatened to kill him if he spoke out.
The abuse reportedly continued the following day, only coming to light when the victim’s mother noticed Athman leaving the room and questioned her son.
“I welcomed him into our house. I trusted him. And now I’ve lost everything—my marriage, my peace, and my son’s innocence,” the victim’s mother told the court.
