Mankweng: Man (43) gets nine life sentences for raping step-daughter

POLOKWANE – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) have welcomed a hefty sentence handed down by the Mankweng Regional Court.

‘Kingtoff’ (Full names of the accused are concealed to avoid secondary victimisation of the two minor children) of Ga-Mothapo in Nobody was sentenced to nine life imprisonment sentences for the rape of his then 10-year-old step-daughter.

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NPA Limpopo division spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi says the man was also senteced to three years imprisonment for common assault, 10 years imprisonment for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to the victim’s younger sister, who was 4-years-old at the time, and six years imprisonment for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to his wife.

“The court heard that between 2015 and November 2016, the accused poured paraffin on the victim’s younger sister and set her alight. The mother was not at home at the time. She suffered serious burns all over her body and the accused did not seek medical attention for her. She healed naturally. On another occasion, the accused assaulted the mother and the child with a trowel and they suffered serious injuries. They did not receive any medical attention either,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.

The court also heard that the victim would inform her mother each time she had been raped and she would mark the dates on a calender.  “Whenever the mother confronted the accused about raping the victim, the accused would assault her too.”

All incidents were reported to the police but the accused was never arrested until the matter was reported again in November 2016 by teachers who noticed injuries on the victim’s body.

“During the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. The state, represented by Adv. Makgomothi Masehela led the evidence of five witnesses including two forensic nurses who testified about the genital injuries sustained by the victim and also handed in the J88 forms,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.

She added that the case was challenging because the victim was 10-years-old when she was raped and no DNA results were available at the time of the trial.

The Pre-Sentence Report for the accused was also handed in and the Probation Officer Maphela Sefalafala recommended that the accused be sentenced to nine life terms for the rapes.

“The Presiding Officer, Fanie Reynolds, could not find any compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and sentenced the accused to life imprisonment for rape as prescribed. The Presiding Officer remarked that ‘the accused’s actions are shocking and inconceivable and the accused may not be rehabilitated’.”