Man to serve life sentence after sister summoned to strengthen case
The complainant first reported the case to family members and about three years later to police, after the accused had continued to touch her inappropriately.
A 43-year-old man will spend life in prison after his sister had to be requested by police to assist her daughter, a 15-year-old at the time, to press charges against him.
The daughter had been raped by the man when she was 12 years old, according to the National Prosecuting Authority.
The Ga-Rankuwa regional court sentenced him on September 7.
North West NPA spokesperson Henry Mamothame said during the trial it emerged that the complainant and her mother, the sister to the accused, lived in Mothotlung, a short distance from the accused.
“It was further revealed that in January 2017, the accused sent the complainant to clean his shack. He subsequently followed her and raped her.”
She said the complainant report the rape to her then-15-year-old sister, who then in turn conveyed the terrifying news to the mother.
“The mother, however, failed to report the matter to the police,” according to Mamothame.
He said the complainant later reported the matter to police, in fear of being raped again.
“The complainant went to the police to report the matter, after the accused had continued to touch her inappropriately over some time. The police subsequently summoned the mother to assist the child in opening the case.”
He said the mother was reported as being hesitant and unsupportive of the daughter, as the accused was their primary source of financial support.
“In the pre-sentence report, she described the accused as generous. The accused’s wife also described him as a person who believes in religious values and prayer, and was a preacher.”
In aggravation of sentence, state prosecutor, Advocate Mummy Mosonodi convinced the court that the accused failed to demonstrate moral and religious values when he committed an offence that was against his Christian beliefs.
She urged the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment.
Magistrate Aggrey Sephothi agreed.
North West director of public prosecutions Dr Rachel Makhari lauded the prosecutor and Constable Caroline Mothemane of the SAPS for bringing the perpetrator to book as well as Thuthuzela care centre for the assistance it afforded the victim.
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