20 years for father who raped daughters
News in short
A father (48) of eight children was sentenced on Friday to 20 years in prison in Mariental after being found guilty of raping his 10- and 12-year-old daughters.
The man was already arrested in October 2014 and tried on three charges of rape. He was acquitted of one charge. Magistrate Frans Anderson sentenced the rapist to 15 years in prison for each of the charges, but ten years of the second charge's sentence will be served concurrently with the first charge's sentence.
"The seriousness of the offence and the public interest, and the interests of the victims far outweigh the offender's personal circumstances. The offence requires a severe sentence, along with rehabilitation," Anderson said in his ruling.
Anderson pointed out that the rapist was a first-time offender, had already spent almost nine years in custody, and had several medical ailments. However, this did not convince Anderson that he should deviate from the prescribed sentence of 15 years in prison for rape.
The girls' mother testified during the trial that the victims' well-being had deteriorated after the rape. One of the girls, who was 12 years old at the time of the rape, has become pregnant since and dropped out of school. The other girl, who was ten at the time, had to change schools because the other children teased her for being raped by her own father. "They haven't forgiven their father and want nothing to do with him."
– Kristien Kruger
The man was already arrested in October 2014 and tried on three charges of rape. He was acquitted of one charge. Magistrate Frans Anderson sentenced the rapist to 15 years in prison for each of the charges, but ten years of the second charge's sentence will be served concurrently with the first charge's sentence.
"The seriousness of the offence and the public interest, and the interests of the victims far outweigh the offender's personal circumstances. The offence requires a severe sentence, along with rehabilitation," Anderson said in his ruling.
Anderson pointed out that the rapist was a first-time offender, had already spent almost nine years in custody, and had several medical ailments. However, this did not convince Anderson that he should deviate from the prescribed sentence of 15 years in prison for rape.
The girls' mother testified during the trial that the victims' well-being had deteriorated after the rape. One of the girls, who was 12 years old at the time of the rape, has become pregnant since and dropped out of school. The other girl, who was ten at the time, had to change schools because the other children teased her for being raped by her own father. "They haven't forgiven their father and want nothing to do with him."
– Kristien Kruger
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