A South African court sentenced a Mozambican national to life imprisonment on Monday for the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in a case that sparked outrage over child safety.
Phethe Simiao, 25, received two life sentences for the rape and murder of Amantle Samane, plus two years each for kidnapping and immigration violations, the Johannesburg High Court ruled. All sentences will run concurrently.
Judge William Karam condemned Simiao's actions during sentencing. "The horrific crimes that the accused chose to perpetrate has no bearing on foreigners from his country," Karam said in response to anti-foreigner sentiment expressed during the trial.
Simiao pleaded guilty to all charges in August, admitting he lured Samane to his shack in Orlando, Soweto, on October 21, 2024, where he raped and strangled her while intoxicated. The child's body was discovered two days later after a community search.
"I don't even sleep at night. When I hear a child crying, I just get frustrated and miss my child," the victim's mother, Ntombizodwa Samane, told the court in her victim impact statement delivered on August 19.
The mother had initially called for three life sentences, expressing profound trauma and developing what she described as hatred toward foreign nationals following her daughter's death.
Simiao entered South Africa illegally in 2022 using a Mozambican passport valid until 2027, according to court documents. He worked as a welder before his arrest.
The case reignited debate about child safety in South Africa, where violent crimes against minors remain a persistent concern. Community members supported the Samane family throughout the proceedings, with some calling for harsher penalties for crimes against children.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane welcomed the guilty plea, noting it spared the family a lengthy trial. Defense lawyers argued Simiao showed remorse through his confession, though prosecutors countered that admission alone does not demonstrate accountability.
The sentencing coincided with what would have been Amantle's seventh birthday on August 19, adding to the family's anguish during proceedings.
