A 48-year-old man sexually assaulted and raped his daughter for five years. The girl eventually confided in her teacher and this led to the arrest of the father.
A teenage girl endured five years of sexual assault and rape by the one person who was supposed to protect her and keep her safe.
The girl’s father was arrested in 2020 and last week the Durban Regional Court sentenced him to life and 15 years imprisonment for the sexual assault and rape of his biological daughter.
The 48-year-old man sexually assaulted and raped his biological daughter between 2015 and 2020, in the Malukazi and Empangeni areas, said Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority.
“The girl, who lived with her father and her stepmother, was 13 years old when her father sexually assaulted her on several occasions by inappropriately touching her body, kissing her and by forcing her to touch him sexually,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
“Then when her stepmother died, he began raping the girl and continued to do so on several occasions up until 2020. He threatened to kill her or burn down the house if she reported him. He would also sometimes keep a firearm nearby when he raped her, to make her fearful. She eventually reported the rapes to her school teacher who contacted a social worker, and the girl was taken to the Umlazi Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) for medical and psycho-social assistance.”
Ms Ramkisson-Kara said that the girl’s father left the area, however, he was traced by the police and arrested six months later. In court, the state, represented by prosecutor Tanuja Bechan led the testimony of the girl and her teacher.
The girl’s brother also testified that the girl would often spend the night in her father’s room with the door locked.
Further evidence for the state was the testimony of the social worker and the doctor from the TCC. In aggravation of the sentence, Ms Bechan handed in a Victim Impact Statement, compiled by the girl.
“In her statement, the girl said that she used to be free-spirited but following the incidents she is just afraid and embarrassed of what happened to her. She said that she has lost her self-confidence and is angry at her father,” said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
The father was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for sexual assault and life imprisonment for rape. In addition to the sentence the court deemed him unfit to possess a firearm, and unfit to work with children. The court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders, said Ms Ramkisson-Kara.
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