Nelspruit: 01 September 2023 - The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela has welcomed the hefty sentence imposed upon a child rapist. On Monday, 28 August 2023 Deon Brookman (57) was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Mashishing Regional Court for the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Lydenburg back on March 2021.
The court heard how the accused took advantage of a little girl after she, together with her mom visited the accused. It is said that her mother left her in the hands of the accused who was regarded as a family friend. Unbeknown to them that he was capable of turning against the girl. The girl was unfortunately raped on the day when she was left by her mom. The following day the suspect bought her a mobile phone in an effort to silence her. However, that didn't work out as the girl broke the silence and the matter was reported to the Police in Lydenburg.
The case was assigned to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit in Lydenburg to investigate. The members thereof probe the matter and eventually arrested the suspect who was brought before court where an overwhelming evidence was presented to the court against him hence he was found guilty and sentenced as such.
In addition to the life sentence the court futher sentenced him to two years imprisonment for sexual grooming. Both sentences will run concurrently and the court has also considered the accused as dangerous to work with children in future. He was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be entered into the Sexual Offenders' Register.
The Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela further commended the sterling work done by the Investigation team, the Prosecution team as well as the Judiciary which led to this commendable results. "It is very disturbing when adults who are supposed to protect children from any harm I found to be the ones that perpetrate dreadful and evil deeds against innocent children. That Justice has been served for the little girl and that the sentence will serve as a deterrent to others who might try to emulate his actions" said the General.