Rapist dad loses life-sentence appeal

Johannesburg - He raped his mentally disabled 10-year-old daughter, then left her waiting for an ambulance while he went to buy cigarettes.

He didn’t bother to visit her in hospital.

In mitigation, he told the court he had two disabled children.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed the man’s appeal, confirming his sentence of life imprisonment.

The man, who can’t be named to protect his daughter, was sentenced by the Venda High Court to life imprisonment for raping his daughter.

He was 35 when he committed the crime.

The child suffered severe, potentially life-threatening injuries, needing surgery and a blood transfusion.

“The high court observed that: ‘You have been found guilty of raping your own child, biological child for that matter. That child looked upon you as her protector. Instead of protecting the poor child, you happened (to be) the very same person who molested her’,” said the appeal judges.

“The personal circumstances of the appellant that were placed before the high court were that he was a first offender, who was married with three young children, two of whom were disabled.

“Those obviously paled into insignificance when compared to the objective gravity of the offence.”

The appeal judges said the high court could not be faulted and dismissed the man’s appeal.

louise.flanagan@inl.co.za

The Star