The Pretoria high court on Friday sentenced a 32-year-old man who raped and attempted to murder his 11-month-old daughter last year to two life terms.
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The man was also sentenced to two years' direct imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice. The court ordered that his name be recorded in the sexual offenders register.
The man from Olievenhoutbosch in Tshwane was found guilty of the counts last week.
On the evening of April 30 last year, the mother left her baby with her partner — the father of the baby — after a neighbour asked the mother to help cook since she was having an overnight ceremony.
The mother discovered the following morning when changing the child's nappy that she had been violated.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said when she told the father the child had been raped and they should take her to the clinic, he suggested they take the baby to a traditional healer.
“During the consultation with the traditional healer, the father confessed to raping the child.”
The traditional healer advised them to seek medical assistance as he could not help them any further.
“When they returned home from the traditional healer, the man threatened the mother with a knife and ordered her not to take the child to the clinic as this would attract attention from the community,” Mahanjana said.
The woman eventually reported the rape on May 4 and the father was arrested on the same day. He has been in custody since.
The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. However, prosecutor Vongani Khosa argued the father had sexually penetrated his baby.
After he was found guilty, the accused through his legal representative, asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of life as he was a first-time offender.
“However, advocate Khosa told the court that the man was in a position of trust as he is the father of the victim and chose to betray that trust,” Mahanjana said.
When handing down sentence judge Papi Masopa said SA was experiencing a rape crisis, particularly involving young children, and this crime had brought a sense of shock and disbelief in the community.
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Two life sentences for man who raped 11-month-old daughter
Image: 123RF/ ALLAN SWART
The Pretoria high court on Friday sentenced a 32-year-old man who raped and attempted to murder his 11-month-old daughter last year to two life terms.
.
The man was also sentenced to two years' direct imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice. The court ordered that his name be recorded in the sexual offenders register.
The man from Olievenhoutbosch in Tshwane was found guilty of the counts last week.
On the evening of April 30 last year, the mother left her baby with her partner — the father of the baby — after a neighbour asked the mother to help cook since she was having an overnight ceremony.
The mother discovered the following morning when changing the child's nappy that she had been violated.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said when she told the father the child had been raped and they should take her to the clinic, he suggested they take the baby to a traditional healer.
“During the consultation with the traditional healer, the father confessed to raping the child.”
The traditional healer advised them to seek medical assistance as he could not help them any further.
“When they returned home from the traditional healer, the man threatened the mother with a knife and ordered her not to take the child to the clinic as this would attract attention from the community,” Mahanjana said.
The woman eventually reported the rape on May 4 and the father was arrested on the same day. He has been in custody since.
The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. However, prosecutor Vongani Khosa argued the father had sexually penetrated his baby.
After he was found guilty, the accused through his legal representative, asked the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of life as he was a first-time offender.
“However, advocate Khosa told the court that the man was in a position of trust as he is the father of the victim and chose to betray that trust,” Mahanjana said.
When handing down sentence judge Papi Masopa said SA was experiencing a rape crisis, particularly involving young children, and this crime had brought a sense of shock and disbelief in the community.
TimesLIVE
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