Rapist sorry and wants to serve the Lord in prison

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

A Port Elizabeth man jailed for life for the brutal rape of a six year old girl says he wants to apologise to the community in which he committed the offence.

These were the words of 33-year-old Xolile Tose before he was lead away from the dock to begin serving life behind bars.

He was convicted yesterday by Judge Jeremy Pickering of the brutal rape of the girl, whose now eight years old.

The little girl has to wear a colostomy bag as a result of the horrific injuries sustained during the 15 hour ordeal after being abducted and brutalised in a house in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, in December 2011.

In passing sentence, Judge Pickering said the injuries the child sustained were the worst he's seen in 20 years on the bench.

Looking relaxed when he spoke to the media shortly after being sentenced, Tose, speaking through court interpreter, Jeffrey Wannabe, said he wanted to apologise to the Motherwell community and South Africa in general.

"He says he is apologising to the community in which he committed the offence as much as to South Africans at large. He will conduct himself in such a manner that he will improve his education and serve the Lord"

Meanwhile, the mother and aunts of the little girl welcomed the sentencing, even though the 30 year old mother of four broke down in tears when Judge Pickering recounted the medical evidence of the horrific injuries suffered by her little girl.

The child will undergo reconstructive surgery, thanks to the generosity of a number of PE doctors and other well wishers, while efforts after being made to have her placed back in school after she was so badly ostracised because of the colostomy bag, that she has not been back to school since.

State prosecutor, Marlini Moodley, who admitted earlier that she was nervous about the outcome of the case after the judge had to disregard the child's testimony when she was declared incompetent to continue giving evidence, said she's happy with the outcome of the case, saying that justice has been done.

Judge Pickering also rejected Tose's application for leave to appeal against his conviction.