A father from Carolina who raped his two children aged seven and 11 has been sentenced to life in prison and their mother to five years for failing to report the abuse.

Sgt Thabang Mokwana, spokesman for Carolina Police, said that a teacher at the seven-year-old’s school reported the case to the police.

She noticed a sudden change in the child’s performance and behavior at school and interviewed her out of concern that something may be wrong.
According to Sgt Mokwana the child told the teacher that she and her older sister was sexually abused by their father.

The incidents occurred between 6 June 2017 and 22 August 2017.

The 44-year-old man was arrested on 22 August and the children were taken to a place of safety by the social worker.

Sgt Gloria Zulu, of the Elukwatini Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offenses Unit (FCS) interviewed the children’s mother after the father was arrested.

During the interview it was discovered that the mother knew that her husband was sexually abusing the children, but failed to report the matter to the police.

The pair was sentenced by the Carolina Regional Court on 24 August 2020.

Sgt Mokwana added that the Magistrate said that the father and mother are the ones who were supposed to protect their children against all harm and not abuse them.

“This sentence will serve as deterrence especially during this time when gender base violence (GBV) is a concern in the country.”