Stepfather receives double life sentence for rape
The incidents took place in various areas on the South Coast between 2019 and 2023.
The Scottburgh Regional Court sentenced a 45-year-old man to two terms of life imprisonment for the repeated rape of his two stepdaughters between 2019 and 2023.
The incidents took place in various areas on the South Coast.
The accused (who practised as a traditional healer) started raping the first complainant when she was 12-years-old.
“He told her that he needed to apply some oil to her genitals because she was troubled by evil spirits,” said Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, NPA regional spokesperson.
“He called her into his ancestral hut and raped her. He went on to rape her on four other occasions.
The accused started raping the second complainant when she was 13, under the pretence of needing her help to look for a lost cow.
“On another occasion he took her into his ancestral hut to apply medicine to her skin but raped her instead,” added Ramkisson-Kara.
“The accused impregnated the complainant twice and, in both instances, he convinced her mother that she was impregnated by a spiritual animal and that she needed to abort the pregnancies.”
The accused’s actions eventually came to light when one of the complainants told her mother what was going on, and they alerted the police.
He went on the run, but was eventually traced and arrested.
The complainants were taken to a nearby hospital where they were treated.
In the state’s case, Prosecutor Akhile Gcume led the testimonies of the two complainants, their first reports and the medical doctor who examined them.
The investigating officer told the court how the accused was arrested.
The state also handed in a victim impact statement compiled by both the complainants and facilitated by court preparation officer Nokukhanya Mkhize.
In their statements, both complainants mentioned that they suffered greatly due to the actions of the accused. They mentioned that they have not been able to concentrate at school, and that the incidents have ruined their lives.
The accused was sentenced accordingly and declared unfit to possess a firearm.
“The court imposed a double life sentence, reflecting the seriousness and depravity of the crimes committed against vulnerable children in his care. This case represents a grave betrayal of trust, a guardian who exploited his position to violate the very people he was meant to protect. The victims’ bravery in coming forward and their determination to see justice served stand as a powerful reminder of the resilience of survivors,” said Ramkisson-Kara.
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