Double life terms for trusted 'sweet uncle' who raped, killed girl (9)

AN UMKOMAAS man who sold sweets to children outside a local school, has been sentenced for the rape and murder of Lusanda Nkomo, 9, whose naked, battered and bruised body was found by a local herdsman in a bush, a day after she went missing.

- YOSHINI PERUMAL [e-mail]

Rogers Perumah, 57, formerly from Phoenix, appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court last week where he was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment.

His application for leave to appeal against both convictions and sentences was refused.

Lusanda, who lived on the same road as Perumah, disappeared on March 17, 2024.

At the time it was reported that Perumah’s pet dog had gone missing on the same day, and he went to search for it in the neighbourhood.

Lusanda, who was fond of the dog, went with him to search for the dog.

"When they got to a bushy area, Perumah raped the child. He then assaulted her all over her body and strangled her before fleeing the scene. He was arrested the next day by community members, following the discovery of the child’s body,” said Natasha Kara-Ramkissoon, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Lusanda’s body was found on March 18, 2024.