Court hands lengthy sentence to father 'who found God in prison' after sexually violating his children

The high court in Pretoria has handed a lengthy sentence to a Meyerton man who asked for a lenient sentence, saying he was a changed man after finding God in prison. 

The man, was found guilty of a range of sexual crimes after raping five minor children, including two of his own. 

National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the 42-year-old father from Meyerton near Vereeniging was sentenced to four life terms and 73 years for sexual crimes committed against the children aged nine, 10, 11, 12 and 13 years between 2019 and November 2020. 

“At the time of the incidents, the man was in a relationship with the mothers of two minor children when he sexually violated them.

“However, when his 11- and 12-year-old (biological) daughters visited him, he would rape them, and over and above raping the 12-year-old he would take pictures of her private parts and ask her to send him similar pictures via WhatsApp when she was not with him,” Mahanjana said. 

One of his victims was a 13-year-old girl, who was said to be his girlfriend at the time of the incidents. She later fell pregnant and had his child when she was 16 years old.

Mahanjana said the man was arrested in November 2022 after he was caught raping his 12-year-old daughter. He has had been in custody since.

The man was convicted on two counts of statutory rape, two counts of rape, two counts of sexual grooming and two counts of instructing a child to commit sexual offences, incest and possession of pornography as well as sexual assault. 

“In mitigation of his sentence, the father read a statement and asked the court to impose a sentence of 25 years because he was now a changed man and found God in prison. 

“However, in aggravation prosecutor Adv Salome Scheepers told the court that crimes of gender-based violence are prevalent in the country. The man was a father and a stepfather to his victims, and he was in a position of trust but betrayed that trust. He furthermore displayed no remorse, no regret, and therefore no hope of rehabilitation. Therefore, she asked the court to impose a sentence of life imprisonment,” Mahanjana said. 

She said judge Papi Masopa agreed with the state's submission that the man showed no remorse, and therefore found no compelling and substantial circumstances to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence.

“The director of public prosecutions, Adv Sibongile Mzinyathi, applauds the work of the prosecutor and the investigating officer, Capt Edgar Swart, that led to the conviction and sentencing in this gruesome case involving children.

“He hopes the sentence will send a strong message that such crimes will not be tolerated but will be prosecuted,” Mahanjana said. 

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