"Judge Johannes Moeng sentenced Mr Moses Motlatsi Mpeli to life in prison for viciously raping a six-year-old girl on December 3," said spokesman Nathi Mncube.

The court heard that Mpeli sent the girl to the shop to buy him chips. He ordered her to come into the house when she returned from the shop but she refused.

He then forcefully picked her up, took her to his bedroom and raped her. He threatened to kill her if she told any one.

Her mother interrogated the girl until she told her what happened.

The police searched the house of the accused and found a bloodstained T-shirt and blanket.

Addressing the court in aggravation of sentence, State prosecutor Amanda Bester said the court should not show the accused any mercy because the victim had suffered permanent injuries.

She had a 3cm tear from her genitalia to her anus. The girl had already gone through four operations. Her interior anal muscle was displaced and she could not control her bladder.

In sentencing, Judge Moeng stated that the girl sustained serious injuries, she would never have a normal life, and the only way to protect society from the accused was to sentence him to life in prison.

Sapa