A 26-YEAR-OLD security guard was sentenced to life imprisonment on Monday, 4 August.
Mpho Antonio Lebona was sentenced in the Roodepoort Magistrates Court for the rape of a 14-year-old girl at a Florida, Roodepoort, complex in January 2021.
National Prosecuting Authority Gauteng spokeswoman Phindi Mjonondwane said: "The victim, who resided at the complex, approached Lebona to unlock the washing area. Her parents were at work, and he locked the door behind him and raped the victim, also inflicting a bite wound on her neck.
"The victim managed to escape and immediately reported the incident to other residents, which led to his arrest. He was charged with rape at the scene. As the NPA, we welcome the court's ruling in dealing with violent crimes against children and believe this sentence will serve as a deterrent to like-minded individuals," she said.
The incident occurred on Lebona's first day of employment.
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He was tasked with overseeing access to the complex's communal washing area.
During the trial, the victim revealed the devastating impact of the violent crime and the harrowing account of the assault.
Regional Court Prosecutor Claude Payne presented a Victim Impact Statement from the victim and her mum, which highlighted the trauma and the girl's brutal loss of virginity.
The accused admitted to being with the victim and claimed their interaction was consensual.
Magistrate Thelma Simpson dismissed his testimony as entirely false and improbable, convicting him to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor.
