GQEBERHA MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR RAPING AND IMPREGNATING HIS MINOR DAUGHTER

21 August 2025

GQEBERHA MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR RAPING AND IMPREGNATING HIS MINOR DAUGHTER

Gqeberha – The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Eastern Cape welcomes the life sentence handed down by the Gqeberha Regional Court to a 41-year-old man from Walmer Location for the repeated rape and sexual assault of his biological daughter over a period of eight years. The man, whose identity is withheld to protect the victim, was sentenced to a further six years' imprisonment for sexual assault. The court found that he began sexually abusing his daughter when she was ten years old and continued until she turned 18, impregnating her when she was 14. The victim, now 20 years old, gave birth to the child on 17 September 2019.

The abuse began after the girl moved in with her father following a family dispute. Despite the trauma, the complainant kept the abuse a secret for nearly eight years. The matter only came to light when her aunt discovered a WhatsApp message confirming that the accused was the biological father of the child. This discovery led to the opening of a criminal case and the accused’s arrest and prosecution.

In court, she described in graphic detail how the accused raped her frequently in the small one-bedroom room they shared. Even after moving into a larger home, the abuse continue, often taking place in the bathroom, even when the accused’s girlfriend was present in the house. The victim testified that she lost count of how many times the abuse occurred. The victim explained how the accused had manipulated and threatened her into silence, even advising her to lie about the pregnancy and claim that the child's father had fled. Her testimony, supported by that of her aunt, was found by the court to be credible, consistent, and compelling.

In his defence, the accused denied committing the offences, claiming that the complainant had made advances towards him and that their sexual relationship was consensual. He argued that the complainant was 14 years old when they first had sex and that she should have been aware of her actions. He also denied forcing her to have an abortion, disputing that he instructed her to lie about the paternity of the child. The accused asserted that the child was born prematurely at seven months and suggested that someone else could be the father. Arguing for an appropriate sentence, Advocate Kenny Van biljoin highlighted the abuse of trust, the long duration of the offences, the vulnerability of the victim, and the lack of remorse shown by the accused who also has previous convictions for rape in 2004, where he was sentenced to ten years, and assault GBH in 2015. He started molesting his daughter shortly after being released from prison in 2016.

The Eastern Cape Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Barry Madolo, commends the bravery of the complainant in coming forward and testifying against her abuser. The DPP also acknowledges the work of the SAPS Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit and all stakeholders who supported the victim throughout the trial.

Issued by:

Luxolo Tyali

NPA Regional Spokesperson

Eastern Cape Division

Tel: 047 501 2630

Email: ltyali@npa.gov.za

Cell: 073 555 9292

Enquiries: nmakupula@npa.gov.za

0682682473