The eMalahleni Regional Court sentenced a 45-year-old man to life imprisonment on November 21 after he was convicted of raping his 14-year-old daughter in Ackerville.
The accused cannot be revealed to protect the identity of the victim. According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the court heard that in March 2019, a helper was cleaning the house when she saw pieces of tissue and a white cloth with blood under the victim’s bed. She suspected that there was something wrong. She asked the victim in the presence of a neighbour after she came back from school, and she told them that her father raped her. The matter was then reported to the authorities and the accused was arrested.
During trial, the accused pleaded not guilty. Regional Court Prosecutor, Maureen Nkosi led testimonies of a victim and that of the helper who assisted in reporting the matter to the police. The J88 medical report confirmed penetration with injuries in the victim’s private part.
In aggravation of sentence, the state submitted that the accused did not show remorse for his actions.
“As a father, he was supposed to protect and defend the victim especially after the death of her mother. He further destroyed the level of trust between him and the victim,” the prosecutor said.
The court found no compelling and substantial circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and the accused was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape.
