STEPFATHER SENTENCED TO FOUR LIFE TERMS FOR RAPING 10-YEAR-OLD STEPDAUGHTER

04 September 2025

STEPFATHER SENTENCED TO FOUR LIFE TERMS FOR RAPING 10-YEAR-OLD STEPDAUGHTER

Fraserburg, Northern Cape – The Fraserburg Regional Court has convicted and sentenced Dawid Bitterbos (37) to four life terms of imprisonment for the repeated rape of his 10-year-old stepdaughter. He faced four counts of rape of a minor, prosecuted under Section 51(1) of Act 105 of 1997. The sentencing was delivered today, 04 September 2025.

Between 2017 and 2020, Bitterbos, married to the victim’s mother, began raping the child while they lived together. He would wait until the household was asleep, assault her, and threaten her to remain silent. Out of fear, the victim concealed the abuse for years. In 2020, her mother noticed weight gain and took her to a clinic, where a pregnancy was confirmed. The victim then disclosed the abuse, prompting a police report and Bitterbos’s arrest. The trial, delayed by his repeated attorney changes seen as delaying tactics, proceeded in February 2025.

Bitterbos denied the charges, claiming the victim consented from age 12, a version the court dismissed as baseless. Regional Court Prosecutor Darryl Bromkamp presented compelling evidence from witnesses, prepared by Court Preparation Officer Majorie De Wee, whom the court found credible. The accused’s testimony was rejected, leading to convictions on all four counts. In mitigation, the defence cited Bitterbos’s time in custody as a reason to deviate from minimum sentences.

In aggravation, Bromkamp highlighted his abuse of trust as a stepfather, submitting a Victim Impact Statement from De Wee that detailed the victim’s severe, lasting trauma. The prosecution urged life sentences, an unfit-to-work-with-children status, a firearm prohibition, and entry into the National Register for Sex Offenders. The court, finding no substantial or compelling circumstances to deviate, imposed life imprisonment on each count, totalling four life terms and issued the requested orders, emphasising the devastating impact on the victim and her family.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the Northern Cape (DPP) welcomes this sentence as a triumph for justice and child protection, sending a clear message that perpetrators of sexual violence against the vulnerable will face the fullest legal consequences. The NPA remains steadfast in combating gender-based violence and child abuse, crediting the relentless efforts of prosecutors, investigators, and court officers. Each conviction defends children’s dignity and safety, reflecting the NPA’s ongoing commitment to hold predators accountable. Ends.

Issued by:

Mojalefa Senokoatsane

NPA Regional Spokesperson

Northern Cape Division

Email: MSenokoatsane@npa.gov.za

Tel: 073 423 3539