Two life terms for Cape Town pastor who raped disabled girl

01 July 2020 - 19:57 By ERNEST MABUZA
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A Cape Town court has sentenced a learner transport driver to two life sentences for raping a minor with disabilities.
A Cape Town court has sentenced a learner transport driver to two life sentences for raping a minor with disabilities.  
Image: 123RF/Andreypopov

Learner transport driver Luvuyo Gerald Hendricks was on Wednesday given two life sentences in the Wynberg magistrate's court, in Cape Town, for two counts of raping a minor with disabilities.

The court also ordered that his name be entered into the national register of sex offenders.

Sexual offences prosecutor Alicia Meredith told the court that the victim was a patient at Cape Mental Health at the time of the rape in 2016.

Meredith said though she was 14 years old, she functioned as a five-year-old.

Hendricks, 54, who was also a pastor and owned a crèche, transported the victim to and from school.

He was arrested on August 4 2016 after he stopped his vehicle in Philippi and raped the victim.

When he spotted a police vehicle driving by, Hendricks got out of the vehicle and pretended that his vehicle had a mechanical failure.

On closer inspection, the police found the victim in the passenger seat of the vehicle with no underwear or shoes. She told them that the accused had raped her.

He was also linked to the crime through injuries and DNA, said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.

“I am very pleased with the sentence. I hope that this will serve as a deterrent to other who might think of doing the same,” said Meredith.

She said the mother of the victim had enlisted the services of Hendricks because he was a pastor, not knowing that he would break that trust.


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