Durban - The Sasolburg Regional Court has sentenced a man to 24 years imprisonment for raping his daughter. The 37-year-old man had been raping his daughter for over a year before he was reported. He admitted to raping the young girl, but he blamed the incidents on demons and told the court he was possessed by them.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson in the Free State, Phaladi Shuping said the girl was 11-years-old at the time.
"The rapes took place when the mother was not at home. The mother realised that her daughter’s school performance has dropped drastically and her behaviour at home had changed. She spoke to her and she told her that she does not want to stay at home when the mother is not around, because her father was violating her," Shuping said.
He said the girl's mother reported the rape and the man was arrested.
The NPA said the girl was medically examined which confirmed the rapes.
"The State prosecutor presented a victim impact statement in which the complainant stated that she was traumatised by the incident and she is struggling to pay attention in class and this has affected her academic performance," Shuping added.
According to the girl's statement, she blamed herself for the rapes.
"The defence lawyer requested that the accused be sentenced to a lesser sentenced because he showed remorse by pleading guilty, but the state prosecutor requested the court to impose life imprisonment because it’s a minimum sentence prescribed by law, but Magistrate Phumzile Ngewu sentenced the accused to 24 years imprisonment. She also ordered that the accused’s name should be included in the National Register for Sex Offenders and further declared him unfit to possess a firearm," Shuping said.
IOL