Mpumzi Mshweshwe
Nelspruit Sexual Offences Court has sentenced a 35-year old Mozimbican national to life imprisonment for the rape of his 11-year-old daughter with whom he stayed at his home in Clau Clau Trust, Mpumalanga. The Court has ordered that the man’s name be entered into the National Sexual Offenders Register and that he be prohibited from possessing a firearm. National Prosecutor Authority (NPA) Spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa said that the accused had started raping his child in 2018. Before the assault, he would make crude remarks to her. “He made remarks to his daughter, claiming he did not ‘bore her to be penetrated by other men’, In November 2018 he began raping her and threatened her to remain silent,” said Nyuswa. It was only when the child’s mother noticed behavioural changes in her daughter and notified the police that the abuse came to light.
When asked about the rape, the man would deflect blame to a family friend and the child’s brother. In court, the prosecution presented evidence against the accused that included the victim’s detailed account of what happened including how he rape her on the kitchen table.
Nyuswa said that the accused also threatened the family members while he was behind bars during the trial. Prosecutor Leana Jones argued that the accused showed no remorse for what he had done and that he was unfit for rehabilitation. Jones urged the court to impose the prescribed minimum sentence of life in prison, to which the Magistrate agreed. Magistrate Vanessa Joubert found the State’s witnesses credible and reliable.
“The NPA will continue to prosecute such cases rigorously to ensure justice for victims and to uphold their rights and safety,” said Nyuswa. – @NewsSA_Online
Please like and follow us on our social media platforms. links below: