Rape And Murder Cases At Two Peaceful Southern Cape Towns

Riversdale, Western Cape: A man has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment following his conviction for the rape of his daughter in Resiesbaan. The accused cannot be named to protect the identity of the  29-year-old daughter he raped on 7 March 2020, the court sentenced him after he pleaded guilty to the charge of rape. The court heard the complainant stayed with her parents on a farm and on the day of the incident, the father and daughter were under the influence of alcohol. The victim’s mother was not home when the father decided to rape his daughter

The prosecutor argued that although he pleaded guilty, it was not on its own a substantial and compelling circumstance, given the merits of the case and that the accused had a previous conviction of attempted rape in 1998. The court agreed and found that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances present and handed the accused the minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment

Meanwhile, the Plettenberg Bay Magistrates Court sentenced Tiaan Gelant to 15 years imprisonment for the murder of his intimate partner. The court suspended two years of the sentence for five years on condition that the accused is not convicted of murder, attempted murder, culpable homicide or assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm committed during the period of suspension. The court declared him unfit to possess a firearm.

The court heard evidence that the accused and his partner were in a relationship characterised by abuse of alcohol and drugs. On the day of the murder, the deceased attacked Gelant and injured him. Gelant grabbed the knife from the deceased and stabbed her 39 times on the lungs, heart, liver and other vital organs. She succumbed to her injuries.

The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, Adv. Nicolette Bell condemned the spate of gender-based violence. “We have dedicated ourselves in the fight against gender-based violence and it’s a fight we are in it to win. Such incidents have no space in our society,” she vowed.

Note: The NPA’s media statements are available on the website: www.npa.gov.za

Issued by:

Eric Ntabazalila

National Prosecuting Authority

Regional Communications Manager

Western Cape

Tel: (021) 487 7308Mobile: 073 062 1222

Email: entabazalila@npa.gov.za