A 35 year-old man was this week in the Naphuno Magistrate’s Court sentenced to an effective 18 year imprisonment for raping his 10 year-old biological daughter at Makgaung village in Ga-Sekororo.

According to an indictment, on 02 December 2019 at about 05:00, the mother of the victim left her in the care of her father at home to go wash the clothes at a nearby house. When she returned to fetch the other clothes at home, the mother found both her daughter and father naked inside a one roomed house.

The mother enquired what was going on but the father denied having sexual intercourse with the child. She immediately rushed her 10 year-old daughter to Sekororo Hospital for medical examination and it was later discovered that the child was raped by her father.

A rape case was opened at Maake Police Station the next day on 03 December 2019 and the father was immediately arrested on the said day.

The case was transferred to Tzaneen Family Violence and Child Protection Unit (FCS) for further investigations and the man was later granted bail after numerous court appearances.

On 22 November 2022, the accused was convicted for rape of a minor girl and handed an 18 years imprisonment imposed by the Naphuno Magistrate on Wednesday 30 November 2022.

The Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has commended the members for meticulous investigations that ensured the lengthy sentence.