The trial of a 53-year-old man accused of raping and molesting his niece and nephew back in the 1980s continued in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on April 2 and 3.
The man allegedly sexually assaulted his niece since she was four years old, while her brother was eight years old and witnessed many of the incidents involving his sister.
Also read: Trial begins for man accused of 1980s familial sexual assault
The sister, now in her 40s, took the stand again to continue her testimony, revealing the events that led to her finally reporting the case. During her testimony, she shared with the court that coming from a religious home made it difficult for her to report the abuse, and her grandmother (who is the mother of the accused) told her not to tell anyone except God.
The case has been in court since 2021, and the accused is charged with 15 counts, including rape (sexual penetration) and indecent/ immoral assault (oral sex and masturbation) for both siblings, and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The trial will resume on May 26, where the sister will finish her testimony, and cross-examination is expected to start.
