Protesters march against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Durban.
Darren Stewart, Gallo Images
- A man has been handed a life sentence for raping his 13-year-old daughter.
- The father pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping his child while her mother was away.
- The child eventually confided in a teacher, who reported the incident to the police.
A 34-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the rape of his daughter.
It occurred in the George area of Emanguzi, where the man lived with his family, KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Natasha Kara said.
The accused pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping his 13-year-old daughter when his wife was away.
The case was reported when the child eventually confided in a teacher, who alerted the police.
The man was arrested in December, Kara said.
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“In aggravation of sentence, regional court prosecutor Mandlenkosi Mawande Mtukushe handed in a victim impact statement compiled by the victim and her mother, and facilitated by court preparation officer, Mandisa Sikakane. Both statements tell of the trauma experienced by the victim. The fact that she was taken away from her family and moved to a place of safety, only added to her trauma,” she explained.
Director of Public Prosecutions in KwaZulu-Natal Advocate Elaine Zungu welcomed the sentence and conviction in light of the current spate of gender-based violence cases in the country.
