The Regional Court of Sasolburg in De Vrije Staat sentenced a 49-year-old father on Tuesday to life imprisonment for raping his 14-year-old daughter.
The incident took place on 16 May 2019 when the father returned home from work to a hut on the ownership of his mother in Zamdela, Sasolburg, where he lived with his daughter.
“That evening, after getting her out of a nightmare, he wore her to sleep in his bed. Later he joined her, ordered her to remove her underwear and raped her,” said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Mojalefa Senokoatsane.
In the morning the man attacked her again and tried to silence her with promises of a repaired mobile and a winter school uniform.
“Instead of going to school, the brave teenager entrusted her father’s grandmother, who brought her to the hospital.”
The local criminal center in Zamdela recovered a canvas from the accused with his sperm, in which DNA analysis confirmed that it was his.
“During a family meeting later that day, the police heard Sirens, the accused tried to flee but was arrested by his brothers.”
Senokoatsane said that the accused was not guilty, and claimed ignorance why his daughter would come up with the allegations, but forensic evidence proved his fault.
Magistrate Phakama N vtu emphasized the seriousness of crime and noted that the vulnerability of the victim, the violation of confidence and the earlier rape verdict of the suspect.
Public Prosecutor Ntombi Marase argued for the maximum fine of life imprisonment, with reference to the lack of repentance of the suspect, his status as a repeated perpetrator and the danger that he caused for society and his family.
The court found no substantial or compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum prison sentence.
“The NPA in the free state welcomes this sentence and shows the determination of the legal system to combat gender -based violence (GBV), especially to women and children,” Senokatsane said.
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