Man gets 30 years in prison for raping six-year-old girl in Meadowlands

The Protea Regional Court has handed a 30-year-old man two life sentences for sexually abusing and raping his six-year-old stepdaughter in Meadowlands over five years.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said Sergeant Kok’s investigation revealed the pattern of abuse by the suspect, who took advantage of the moments when the victim’s mother was away.

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“In some cases, the abuse took place during morning baths when the man molested the six-year-old while her mother was preparing lunch,” Mjonondwane said.

She said the mother left the victim with the suspect on October 21, 2020, to attend a funeral.

The suspect woke the victim, took her to his room, subjected her to pornographic material and forcibly raped her with lotion. The victim then suffered physical injuries and bleeding for six days,” Mjonondwane said.

According to her, the abuse lasted from 2015 to 2020.

“The victim remained silent out of fear because she believed the suspect’s threats to harm her and her mother, whom she described as violent during her testimony.

“After witnessing fights between them, she disclosed the secret to her uncle on November 7, 2020, but the uncle took no action,” Mjonondwane explained.

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Mjonondwane added that the victim then told her cousin who informed her mother.

The mother, previously unaware, had assumed the victim’s bleeding was menstruation and bought her sanitary towels. The victim’s disclosure led to the suspect’s arrest.

The suspect met the victim’s mother in prison and began a relationship, moving in with her and the victim after his release.

“During his mitigation testimony, the suspect denied all allegations of sexual abuse and suggested that the mother had influenced the child’s statements.

“The magistrate agreed with Regional Prosecutor Magadi Mangena’s argument that the accused had manipulated the child through sexual grooming for more than five years while they lived together,” she said.

Mjonondwane said the NPA remains committed to the victims of GBV and will hold perpetrators accountable.