Former Eastern Cape Senior Cop Handed Life Sentence for Raping His Wife’s 11 Year Old Minor Relative

• A former Ndevana Police Station captain near Qonce has received a life imprisonment term for raping a minor
• The Zwelitsha Regional Court found Mzukisi Landu guilty of a range of sexual offences against his wife's niece
• Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo emphasised the urgency to address sexual crimes

ZWELITSHA — The Zwelitsha Regional Court meted out a life imprisonment term to an ex-South African Police Service (SAPS) senior cop for rape.

Mzukisi Landu was found guilty of multiple offences against his wife's niece, whom he threatened to kill if she spoke of the sexual abuse.

Ex-cop gets life term for minor's rape

The child was 11-years-old when she began living with the Landus in Ilitha Township near Zwelitsha in 2014.

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Over the next four years until 2018, the young girl suffered abuse at the hands of the former captain of the Ndevana Police Station near Qonce.

The victim, testifying in court, recounted multiple incidents in which Landu, 59, inappropriately touched, caressed and committed the assaults on her.

Brandishing a firearm, he threatened to kill her following a violent 2018 assault, having offered the child a soft drink that caused her to pass out.

The then-15-year-old subsequently confided in her mother about the rape.

Court finds compelling evidence

Eastern Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said Landu resigned and turned himself into the police.

"He entered a not guilty plea in court and, once the trial was underway, claimed that the child was lying.

"[Despite] his wife [testifying] in his defence, the court [found] compelling evidence, including his description of touching the complainant 'playfully' in a warning statement."

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Tyali added that key testimonies further bolstered the prosecution's case.

"[Several] witnesses present during a [previous] family meeting, where Landu apologised for his actions, testified."

Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Barry Madolo welcomed the sentence and emphasised the urgent need to address sexual violence.

"All cases of sexual violence encroach on the rights to dignity and privacy of the victims. The NPA aggressively prosecutes these cases, especially when perpetrated by law enforcement officers, who should know better."

Source: Briefly News