A 54 YEAR-OLD MALE CONVICTED TO LENGTHY IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPING A MENTALLY DISABLED STEPDAUGHTER

A 54 year-old male was convicted and sentenced to a lengthy imprisonment for raping a mentally disabled stepdaughter on 02 January 2019 at Pulaneng village under Maake policing area.

The accused was handed a total number of 25 years imprisonment by the Naphuno Magistrate court on Wednesday 21 February 2024.

The mother of the victim left her at home together with the accused and departed to Maake Plaza for shopping.

The stepfather took an advantage of the defenceless mentally disabled victim and raped her during her mother’s absence.

Afterwards, the victim was threatened and instruted not to tell her mother until on 01 February 2019 after the accused left to Gauteng Province and a 31 year-old victim managed to reveal the rape incident that was immediately reported at Maake police station.

A rape case was opened and transferred to Tzaneen Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) and Sergeant Klaas Mulungwa was tasked to further investigate the matter.

The Investigating Officer managed to locate the accused and arrested him after the accussed handed himself on 25 February 2019.

The accused was later granted bail on 04 March 2019 until when this matter was finalized by Court Wednesday 21 February 2024.

‘I would like to send my sincere appreciation for the sterling work that is continuously being executed by the police in Mopani District in ridding this Province of criminality,” concluded the Provincial Commissioner of Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.