STEPFATHER SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPING A MINOR

The Pretoria Magistrates’ Court sentenced a 36-year-old stepfather (Mr. X) from Hercules in Pretoria West to one life term on Wednesday, 06 July 2022, for rape of his 9-year-old stepdaughter. In delivering her sentence Magistrate Mthimunye agreed with the state that Mr X took advantage of a child who regarded him as a father. This is after Magistrate Johanna Mthimunye convicted him of rape on 13 April 2022

NPA Spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana says on Sunday 05 January 2019, the minor and her mother had gone to church where the pastor of the church prophesied that the child had been sexually assaulted by a 33-year-old male when she was 9 years old.  After church on their way home, the child confessed to the mother that indeed the stepfather had been sexually assaulting her over a period of a year when the mother had gone to work at night and she was left in his care.

The mother confronted him about the allegations made by the child but he denied such. The following morning both the perpetrator and the mother took the child to a doctor at Laudium Hospital were the child was examined and it was discovered that indeed the child had been sexually assaulted, the police were called and Mr. X was arrested at the hospital. He has been in custody since the NPA successfully opposed bail.  In court Mr. X pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.