Durban — A man who raped and tried to kill his teenage daughter has been handed a double life sentence and 15 years in jail for his crimes.
The Durban Regional Court sentenced the 49-year-old to two terms of life and 15 years’ imprisonment for the rape (more than once) and attempted murder of his 17-year-old biological daughter in August 2022.
The man pounced on his daughter who had moved in with him at his Sydenham home after her mother died. She had been living with her mother.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said that on the day of the incident, the teenager was home when her father arrived drunk.
He assaulted her and accused her of having an affair with someone. He had a firearm on him and fired a shot at her, in the presence of other family members and neighbours. She was unharmed and ran away.
Later that day she returned home and the accused forced her to sleep in his bed with him where he raped her twice. She managed to escape and fled.
She hid in some bushes under a nearby bridge for the night. From there she contacted her brother who sent his friend to fetch her. After that, she was taken to the police station and a case was opened. The accused was arrested the following day.
Ramkisson-Kara said for State prosecutor, advocate Cheryl Pillay-Reddy led the testimonies of the complainant, her neighbour and other family members.
The evidence of the J88 form and the testimony of the doctor who examined the complainant following the rapes also formed part of the State’s case.
In aggravation of sentence, advocate Pillay-Reddy handed in a Victim Impact Statement compiled by the complainant and facilitated by Court Preparation Officer, Prudence Geraud.
In her statement, the complainant said the accused broke her trust. He is her father, and it was his duty to protect her, instead he violated her in the worst way possible. She said she is now traumatised and broken.
“The accused was sentenced to a term of life imprisonment on each count of rape and 15 years’ imprisonment for attempted murder. Since the sentences will run concurrently, he will serve an effective life term,” Ramkisson-Kara said.
“In addition, the court declared him unfit to possess a firearm and ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.”
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