Makhanda Court Sentences 18-Year-Old Who Raped and Murdered Toddler to 25 Years

• A teenager from the Eastern Cape who raped and killed a toddler was sentenced to 25 years
• The horrific incident took place on 19 November 2023 in KwaNojoli, and the toddler was discovered two days later
• the province's director of public prosecutions welcomed the sentence, and South Africans were happy

With nine years' experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

MAKHANDA, EASTERN CAPE — An 18-year-old teenager was sentenced to 25 years for raping and killing a toddler in the Eastern Cape.

Toddler raped and killed

the incident took place on a farm in KwaNojoli on 19 November 2023. The court heard that Frans Hendricks, the teenager, worked on a farm adjacent to the one the toddler and her twin sister visited, where their grandfather lived.

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Hendricks drank and socialised at a gathering held at the house, and after the meeting concluded, Hendricks saw the toddler. He then took her to a nearby field, where he raped and killed her. He then returned to his friends and proceeded as though nothing had happened.

The toddler's grandfather searched for her the following day after realising she was not in either of the houses on the farm. Her body was discovered on 21 November, and Hendricks was arrested the same day.

Court sentences Hendricks

The court sentenced Hendricks to 25 years for murder and 22 years for the rape incident. Both sentences will run concurrently. The Eastern Cape's director of Public Prosecutions, Bsrry Madolo, lauded the criminal justice system for bringing the perpetrator to book.

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Netizens call for the death penalty

Angry South Africans on Facebook demanded the reinstatement of the death penalty.

Mandy Ladi said:

"He should have gotten life with no chance of parole, and that's the minimum! In a perfect world, the death penalty would have been the first option."

Indlabeyiphika Kamabuthelezi Manyoni said:

"May the death penalty come back."

Hoener Elizabeth said:

"Bring back the death penalty! Bring it back!"

Prathna Ramsunder asked:

"Why not the death penalty?"

Orlando alleged rapist arrested

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the man accused of raping and killing an Orlando, Soweto, toddler was arrested.

The undocumented foreigner rented a shack in Soweto, where he lured the little girl and raped her before killing her.

Source: Briefly News