Durban - A 33-year-old man was handed a term of life in prison by the Ntuzuma Regional Court for the rape of his 11-year-old daughter at their home in KwaMashu in Durban in May.
National Prosecuting Authority(NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the child was asleep at their home in KwaMashu when she woke up to find her father on top of her, raping her.
Ramkisson-Kara said the child was taken to the Phoenix Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC), where she received the necessary psycho-social services, counselling, and support.
She said the man was immediately arrested.
In court, Acting Regional Court Prosecutor, Lisa Abrahams, led the evidence of the child, her aunt (first report) and a medical doctor, she said.
Abrahams also handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the child and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer Senziwe Mthethwa.
“In her statement, the child said that she was saddened that her father could do such an awful thing to her, especially since he knew that she was still traumatised from being previously raped by her grandfather. The child said that she has lost all trust in men,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
Ramkisson-Kara said the accused was sentenced accordingly, and the court ruled that he was unsuitable to work with children and that his name must be included in the National Register for Sex Offenders.
“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes this successful prosecution. It is our mandate to prosecute and get justice for all, especially those belonging to vulnerable groups. We hope that this sentence will deter like-minded individuals, and we commend the prosecutor and the police on a job well done.”
It is unknown whether the grandfather was prosecuted.