A 40-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday by the Modimolle regional court in Limpopo for raping his 15-year-old stepdaughter for two years.  

WOKEN UP TO BE RAPED

During the trial, the court heard that the mother of the victim would wake the teenager up in the middle of the night telling her that her father wanted to perform ritual exercises on her. The mother alleged that she was not aware of the kind of rituals her husband was performing on her daughter. The court also heard that the man, who was 38 at the time, repeatedly raped the teenager for two years between 2020 and 2021. 

SENTENCE WELCOMED

Police commissioner in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed the sentence. The case was successfully investigated by Sergeant Motlatjo Tukakgomo of Modimolle Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit. "We commend the sterling investigations conducted by Sergeant Tukakgomo that secured the life imprisonment. This sentence will send a strong message against child rapists or molesters that the police are determined to deal with crimes perpetrated against women and children," Lieutenant General Hadebe said.