A 61-year-old former employee of the Department of Public Service and Administration, who also holds the position of deacon at the International Assemblies of God Church, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Pretoria Magistrate's Court for the rape of his niece (10).

The accused has been declared unfit to possess a firearm and his name will be added to the National Register for Sexual Offenders.

IT?S JUST A GAME

NPA's Lumka Mahanjana said the victim who was staying with her aunt at the time of the incident in November 2017 had been moving some of her belongings with the accused to a new house.

The court heard that when they got to their new residence in Mamelodi East, Tsakane Section, the accused raped his niece and instructed her not to report the incident, claiming they were simply "playing a game."

"The harrowing truth came to light a year later when the victim's aunt learned of the assault and reported it to the police on 18 November 2018. Following investigations, the man was arrested on 02 February 2019."

Mahanjana said in court the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge, suggesting that his wife had conspired against him to remove him from the family. 

However, State Prosecutor Advocate Annelizer Stiles called several witnesses to the stand, including the victim, a medical professional and the accused's wife, all of whom provided compelling evidence that demonstrated the man's guilt.

"During the sentencing proceedings, the man requested that the court to consider imposing a sentence of correctional supervision. Advocate Stiles strongly opposed this, arguing that life imprisonment was warranted due to the grievous nature of the crime. She highlighted that the accused betrayed the trust of a defenceless child who viewed him as a father figure and took advantage of his position of power."

A LOT CHANGED

Additionally, during the proceedings, Advocate Stiles submitted a Victim Impact Report which revealed that the victim's performance has affected and is now suffering from depression and emotional trauma resulting from the rape.

The wife of the accused also noted in her report that the incident led to the breakdown of her marriage and had a toxic effect on the family dynamics, including alienation from her older children who blamed her for their father's arrest.

In delivering the sentence, Magistrate Ntlanti concurred with the state's position, emphasising that the accused showed no remorse for his actions and had taken advantage of a vulnerable child.