DURBAN - A Verulam man who repeatedly raped his stepdaughter over a period of about 18 months and regularly trafficked her out to others, has been found guilty.
She was only 10 at the time and was allegedly used as a sex slave and to create child pornography, raped repeatedly, forced to perform sex acts.
The stepfather cannot be named to protect the identity of the child.
The matter came to light when the man was arrested in 2018. According to neighbours, he kept the girl from school and began grooming her as a sex slave.
The man took over custody of the girl after her mother died. She was 10 years old at the time.
The State claimed the man groomed the child sexually so he could make money from trafficking her.
The Sunday Tribune reported that on one occasion, he and an unknown man simultaneously raped her. Other charges he faced included the creation, possession and distribution of child pornography, compelled sexual assault and human trafficking.
In January 2017, they were without a home, but were taken in by the man’s ex-girlfriend, with whom he has another daughter.
He and his girlfriend resumed their relationship and his daughter and stepdaughter were enrolled at school.
When his girlfriend’s house burnt down in June 2017, he and the girl moved back to Durban. They lived alone in various suburbs and the porn videos and rape continued.
He was arrested after neighbours reported the incident and is expected to be sentenced in January next year.
IOL