Eastern Cape man convicted for raping his girlfriend’s daughter over four years

An Eastern Cape man has been found guilty of four counts of rape in the Port Elizabeth Regional Court. File picture: Pixabay

An Eastern Cape man has been found guilty of four counts of rape in the Port Elizabeth Regional Court. File picture: Pixabay

Published Sep 18, 2021

Share

CAPE TOWN – The Port Elizabeth Regional Court has convicted a man for raping his girlfriend’s minor daughter.

According to evidence presented to the court, the 34-year-old man from Gqeberha has been raping the girlfriend’s daughter over a period of four years.

Evidence presented to the court revealed that the rapes started in 2016 when the girl was only nine years old until January 2019 when the child reported the crimes.

The court found him guilty on four counts of rape.

According to the spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Eastern Cape, Anelisa Ngcakani, the girl’s mother moved in with the boyfriend in his home. She had moved in with her sister and four children.

The court heard all the rapes had occurred at the boyfriend’s house.

Evidence presented in court also revealed the mother and aunt had noticed at times the girl behaving strangely but didn’t read too much into the child’s peculiar behaviour.

The child would cover herself with a blanket from head to toe even when it was hot outside.

The little girl broke her silence after the last incident of rape in January 2019.

The traumatised girl told her friends at school about the rape incidents and they in turn told a trusted teacher.

The teacher called the girl in to enquire if her friends were indeed being truthful regarding the incidents and the girl confirmed that they had taken place.

This led the teacher to call the girl’s mother and immediately took the child to the police station. The mother found the girl and her teacher at the police station while the teacher was busy opening a case.

The boyfriend denied allegations of ever raping the girl, however, medical reports corroborated the girl’s testimony.

The matter has been postponed until November 10 for sentencing proceedings to begin.