Durban - A 6-year-old girl was robbed of her childhood when she was raped and sexually assaulted -more than once - by a man she had trusted and considered a grandfather figure.
A victim impact report was submitted to the Durban Regional Court and included drawings by the little girl, now 9, that depicted her inner turmoil.
She drew her family, friends and her beloved dog, Diesel. There was also a drawing of herself indicating that she was sad, alone and unhappy.
Her devastated parents blame themselves for what happened seeing that 61-year-old Annwar Nabbi, and his wife were their tenants.
Nabbi was warned not to enter the main house and, according to a report compiled by social worker Nokukhanya Mdletshe, Nabbi knew he was not supposed to.
Magistrate Lee Bonhomme recently sentenced Nabbi, who is deaf, to 10 years’ imprisonment for rape and five years for the sexual assault charge.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
The Chatsworth resident had pleaded not guilty to the charges on August 1 and was convicted the following day.
The matter was then adjourned until Friday for pre-sentencing reports from the social worker and an officer from the Department of Correctional Services.
According to Mdletshe’s report, Nabbi, his wife and his adult daughter are all deaf. Both Nabbi and his wife are unemployed, receive a disability grant and now live with his family.
During his interview with Mdletshe, Nabbi admitted his guilt.
His brother told Mdletshe that Nabbi regretted his actions and was remorseful.
The brother said Nabbi “doesn’t know what came over him”.
The couple had rented a cottage on the property where the victim’s family lived and he had attacked the little girl in her house during June 2013 and May 2014.
Mdletshe said the girl was robbed of her childhood and while she attended counselling sessions, she did not feel safe around anyone but her parents, she no longer felt respected and does not trust anyone.
Mdletshe said it would be difficult for her to reach her full potential given her traumatic experience where her physiological and safety needs, belonging, love and esteem needs had been diminished.
She had recommended a term of imprisonment.
State prosecutor, Jerome Gnanapragas, had read out the victim impact reports from the girl’s parents and the little girl herself.
The parents reiterated that Nabbi was a trusted person they treated as family and considered a father figure to them and grandfather figure to their daughter.
The father said he wanted justice for his daughter who was now scarred for life.
Her mother said she was in shock when her daughter told her what had happened.
She was so angry and frustrated, she said, but had to be strong for her little girl who still has sleepless nights.
The young girl had expressed herself through her drawings.
Gnanapragas had said the seriousness of the offences demanded a term of imprisonment.
The only issue, he said, was whether Nabbi, being deaf, could be housed at the prison.
He had called one of the senior warders to testify on the facilities available at Westville Prison.
Nabbi’s Legal Aid attorney, Canson Sifiso Lushaba, had asked the court for “a measure of mercy” and to also consider Nabbi’s age.
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Daily News