Limpopo father given double life sentence for raping his daughter

POLOKWANE – A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to two life sentences for repeatedly raping his 14-year-old biological daughter over a four-month period.

The man had previously been imprisoned for the murder of the victim’s mother.

Police spokesman, Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba, said the suspect took the victim from her grandmother’s house to his residence, where he repeatedly raped her and threatened to kill her if she reported the abuse.

The victim then moved in with her aunt, but the defendant continued the abuse until December 2021. In January of the following year, it was discovered that the victim had become pregnant and suffered a miscarriage, prompting her to report the incident.

The accused then went on the run but was arrested by Detective Samuel Thovhakale of the Makhado Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offenses Unit.

The Thohoyandou High Court on Thursday (September 26) handed down the two life sentences and also sentenced him to three years for kidnapping and 10 months for grievous bodily harm.

The acting provincial police commissioner, Major General Samuel Manala, praised the officer for his work: “This sentence reflects the seriousness of gender-based violence and the importance of protecting vulnerable people, especially children, from abuse and exploitation.”