The Pretoria high court has found a 32-year-old man guilty of the rape and attempted murder of his 11-month-old daughter last year.
The court on Wednesday also found the man from Olievenhoutbosch in Tshwane guilty of defeating the ends of justice.
On the evening of April 30 last year, the mother left her baby with her partner — the father of the baby — after a neighbour came into their home and asked the mother to help cook since she was having an overnight ceremony.
The mother discovered the following morning when changing her nappy that the child had been violated.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said when she told the father that the child had been raped and they should take her to the clinic, the father suggested they take the baby to a traditional healer.
“During the consultation with the traditional healer, the father confessed to raping the child.”
The traditional healer advised them to seek medical assistance as he could not help them any further.
“When they returned home from the traditional healer, the man threatened the mother with a knife and ordered her not to take the child to the clinic as this would attract attention from the community,” Mahanjana said.
The woman eventually reported the rape on May 4 and the father was arrested on the same day. He has been in custody since.
The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. However, prosecutor Vongani Khosa argued that the father had sexually penetrated his baby.
The case was postponed to March 6 for sentencing.
TimesLIVE
Man found guilty of rape, attempted murder of his 11-month-old baby
Image: 123RF/Allan Swart
The Pretoria high court has found a 32-year-old man guilty of the rape and attempted murder of his 11-month-old daughter last year.
The court on Wednesday also found the man from Olievenhoutbosch in Tshwane guilty of defeating the ends of justice.
On the evening of April 30 last year, the mother left her baby with her partner — the father of the baby — after a neighbour came into their home and asked the mother to help cook since she was having an overnight ceremony.
The mother discovered the following morning when changing her nappy that the child had been violated.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said when she told the father that the child had been raped and they should take her to the clinic, the father suggested they take the baby to a traditional healer.
“During the consultation with the traditional healer, the father confessed to raping the child.”
The traditional healer advised them to seek medical assistance as he could not help them any further.
“When they returned home from the traditional healer, the man threatened the mother with a knife and ordered her not to take the child to the clinic as this would attract attention from the community,” Mahanjana said.
The woman eventually reported the rape on May 4 and the father was arrested on the same day. He has been in custody since.
The man pleaded not guilty to all charges. However, prosecutor Vongani Khosa argued that the father had sexually penetrated his baby.
The case was postponed to March 6 for sentencing.
TimesLIVE
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