Pretoria Man Sentenced to Life for Raping 6-Year-Old Stepdaughter
- A Pretoria man was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court for the rape of his six-year-old stepdaughter
- The man threatened the child to keep the assault a secret, but she later disclosed the abuse to her mother, leading to his arrest
- The court highlighted the seriousness of the crime and the emotional impact on the victim, with community support for the sentence reflected in social media reactions
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Reitumetse Makwea, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Pretoria, South Africa, has covered court, accidents, weather and crime-related news at The Citizen and Rekord Noweto for over five years.
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A 31-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court for the rape of his six-year-old stepdaughter.
The incident took place on 6 August 2022, when the victim was left in the man’s care while her mother was away.
The mother and the accused had been living together in Olievenhoutbosch.
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The man threatened the little girl to keep it a secret
The man called her inside their shack on that fateful day while the child played outside. He instructed her to undress and then committed the assault.
Afterwards, he threatened the child, insisting she keep the incident a secret.
Later that evening, while bathing the child, the mother noticed her daughter’s distress.
When asked what was wrong, the child revealed the horrific details of the abuse.
This prompted the mother to report the crime to the police the following morning, leading to the child's medical examination.
Man arrested for the rape
The accused was arrested on 7 August 2022 and has remained in custody since the state successfully opposed his bail application.
Despite pleading not guilty, evidence presented during the trial confirmed his guilt.
During sentencing, the accused requested that the court consider his time in custody when deciding on a sentence.
However, Prosecutor Mpho Monyane urged the court to impose the maximum penalty, emphasising the severity of the crime against an innocent child and the breach of trust involved.
The child was deeply scarred
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), a Victim Impact Statement revealed the deep emotional scars left on the child.
"She expressed her sadness through drawings and a reluctance to play outside following the incident."
Magistrate Johanah Mthimunye ultimately agreed with the prosecution, stating that there were no substantial reasons to deviate from the life sentence mandated for such a severe offence.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Sibongile Mzinyathi, praised the sentence as a necessary step towards justice for the victim and her family, hoping it would deter others from committing similar acts.
South Africans applaud the court system
The community’s response on social media has been overwhelmingly supportive of the sentence:
@MalomeMalefane said:
"He should rot in prison. Sies!!!"
@joseph_Fragun echoed Malefane's sentiments and also noted:
"We need to apply strict laws for people like this. This is not humanism."
@Proudly012 commented:
"He doesn’t even deserve to get out of prison!"
@Dingswayo_N said:
"Good news."
Bail denied for man accused of raping eight-year-old stepdaughter in Atteridgeville
Briefly News reported that a 42-year-old Zimbabwean man accused of raping his girlfriend's eight-year-old daughter was denied bail by the Atteridgeville magistrate's court.
The alleged incident occurred while the mother was at work, leaving the children in the man's care.
The case has been postponed for transfer to the regional court.
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Source: Briefly News
