A 45-year-old man was handed a 20-year prison sentence in the Roodepoort Magistrates’ Court recently for the rape and sexual assault of his stepdaughter. The man, whose identity cannot be revealed in order to protect the complainant, is set to serve 20 years for rape and five years for sexual assault, which will run concurrently with the rape sentence.
According to the NPA, the accused sexually assaulted his stepdaughter from the age of 11 at a time when her mother, his wife, was ill. Phindi Mjonondwane, regional spokesperson for the NPA said, “He would leave his sickly wife and go to the lounge where the step-daughter would be watching television and violate her. She eventually found the courage to tell her mother. Realising that the cat was out of the bag, the accused fled to the Free State where he was apprehended.”
The mother of the victim detailed how her daughter was still traumatised and her school work had deteriorated as a result. The mother also lost her job because she could not cope after hearing about the ordeal. Regional Court prosecutor, Kelebogile Sibi argued that a father is a protective figure but in this instance, the accused took advantage of his wife’s illness to prey on an innocent child, who looked up to him for love and protection. “Society is looking up to the courts as the last resort, as campaigns by various non-government and non-profit organisations seem to be falling on deaf ears,” she said.
Magistrate Anneline Afrika said the accused failed to carry the family, especially the minor at the time of his wife’s illness but instead chose to use the situation to advance his selfish interests. “The NPA welcomes this sentence and hopes it will serve to deter like-minded individuals,” Mjonondwane said.
