A 42-year-old man from Sehlakwane village in Zaaiplaas, Limpopo, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for repeatedly raping his 12-year-old daughter, who later fell pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl.
The Groblersdal Regional Court imposed the sentence after hearing how the man sexually abused his daughter on multiple occasions in 2022 while her mother was away from home.
The accused’s identity has been withheld to protect the child’s identity and prevent further victimisation.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi said during the trial, the court heard that the victim fell pregnant following the abuse and gave birth to a baby girl in 2023.
Malabi said he threatened to kill both the child and her mother if she disclosed what had happened. He also instructed his daughter to claim that a boy from a local homestead was the father of her baby.
The abuse came to light after the father instructed the child not to lock her bedroom door one evening, telling her that he would visit her during the night.
Fearing for her safety, the girl fled from home and stayed away for a week. Her family subsequently reported her missing to the police.
While away from home, she sent a message to her aunt disclosing the sexual abuse. Her aunt immediately informed the child’s mother.
After the girl returned home, the family reported the matter to the police, leading to her father's arrest. The State successfully opposed his bail application.
The father had pleaded not guilty to the charge.
State highlights lasting trauma
During sentencing proceedings, Malabi said State Prosecutor Sifiso Miya presented a victim impact report compiled by a social worker, together with a pre-sentence report.
The victim impact report detailed the severe psychological and emotional trauma suffered by the child and the lasting effects of the abuse on her and her family.
The State argued that the father had grossly abused his position of trust and parental authority while violating his daughter’s rights to dignity, privacy and bodily integrity.
The prosecution further submitted that the seriousness of the offence outweighed his personal circumstances and that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances to justify imposing a sentence below the prescribed minimum of life imprisonment.
Father barred from working with children
In addition to the life sentence, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm.
The court also ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and declared him unfit to work with children.
Welcoming the outcome, Limpopo Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Ivy Thenga said the sentence sent a clear message that sexual abuse of vulnerable children would not be tolerated.
“This sentence sends an unequivocal message that the justice system will not tolerate those who sexually abuse and violate vulnerable children, particularly within the home, where they should feel safest,” Thenga said.
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