A husband and wife from Paarl will spend the rest of their lives in prison after being convicted of raping, trafficking and grooming two minor girls.
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A Paarl couple has been sentenced to 16 life terms and an additional 12 years’ direct imprisonment after being convicted of raping, trafficking and grooming two 14-year-old girls.
The Paarl Regional Court ordered the sentences run concurrently, meaning the couple will effectively spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
The court also ruled their names be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and declared them unfit to possess firearms, said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
What happened
The NPA said the husband, 51, and his 42-year-old wife preyed on the two girls from broken and disadvantaged homes, drawing them in with promises of food, shelter and support before subjecting them to repeated abuse.
One of the victims had lost her mother and lived with a father battling alcohol abuse, while the other was left homeless after her family’s house burned down.
Prosecutors told the court the couple created a relationship of dependence and trust, then exploited it for sexual abuse.
One victim testified she feared being assaulted and thrown out if she refused, while evidence showed the wife actively facilitated the offences and was often present during the attacks.
The pair tried to blame each other in their defence, but the court rejected both versions and accepted the state’s evidence, which included the consistent testimony of the two victims and corroboration from a neighbour.
The prosecutor in the case “argued the husband repeatedly altered his version under cross-examination and became confused by the contradictions in his own testimony”, said NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.
‘Trusted them like parents’
Acting Western Cape director of public prosecutions, advocate Adrian Mopp, praised the prosecution and investigation teams, saying the sentence reflects the gravity of the crimes and the harm done to two girls who had trusted the couple like parents.
“The sentences imposed reflect the gravity of these heinous offences and the profound harm inflicted on two vulnerable young girls. The NPA remains committed to ensuring that perpetrators of crimes against children are held fully accountable,” said Mopp.
