Caregiver's son gets life in prison for raping girl, 10

The Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Thursday sentenced Washington Simperi to life in prison for raping a 10-year-old girl. 

“Investigations disclosed that on March 11 2022 the mother of the girl took her to daycare as part of her daily routine,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said. “However, instead of being protected, the caregiver’s son took advantage of the 10-year-old and started sexually violating her.”

Simperi, 20, instructed the child to relieve herself in an attempt to destroy DNA evidence.

“The minor reported the incident to her mother who contacted the police, leading to the arrest of Simperi.”

Prosecutor Lorraine Nel emphasised the severity of the crime, stating it had irreparably damaged the victim's trust. Despite undergoing counselling, the victim was likely to carry the emotional scars of this trauma for the rest of her life, potentially experiencing flashbacks. 

“The court ruled the injuries were not self-inflicted, as said by the defence, and found no evidence of collusion or false accusations.” 

The court also ordered Simperi’s name to be registered in the National Register for Sex Offenders and he was prohibited from interacting with or working with children. 

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