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The North Gauteng High Court sentenced Ben Masilo Maselane from Soshanguve to two life sentences in respect of one count of rape and murder. He was further sentenced to six years imprisonment for housebreaking with intent to kidnap and six years imprisonment for kidnapping.

During the night of 10 February 2007, the accused came to the deceased home looking for her father and he was told that their parents were not home. The deceased (a seven year old girl) had been sleeping in the house with her brother at the time.

The accused came back during the course of the night and he dug a hole underneath the shack to gain entry into the shack. He removed the deceased from the shack and took her to a nearby veld where he raped and strangled her. He thereafter set her body alight using a tyre.

The accused was arrested in November 2013.

Advocate Juliet Makgwatha argued that the offence was committed in the most horrendous manner and there are no substantial and compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence. The court agreed with state and imposed the prescribed minimum sentence.

The NPA welcomes the sentence.

Issued by National Prosecuting Authority