The saying that justice delayed is not justice denied has never been more so for a woman from Mothibistad, after finally witnessing her uncle sentenced for raping her as far back as 1992.
According to the Northern Cape’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the former teacher, who was residing at a hostel in Mothibistad, placed a pillow over his niece’s face and proceeded to rape her while in her bedroom during February 1992.
Although the 32-year-old teacher was living with his wife, baby daughter and niece, following the initial incident, he would take advantage of the times when his wife was not at home and would rape his niece using the same modus operandi.
The prosecuting authority said the uncle would also on occasion make up excuses as to why his niece needed to accompany him, only as an excuse to continue to rape her, even at the building site of his new home.
Mojalefa Senokoatsane, the NPA’s regional spokesperson, said what further aggravated the situation was that from the rapes, a child was born in 1995, with the family holding various meetings urging her to “keep the family secrets” and not tell anyone of what had transpired, the reason given being that the news would prejudice the uncle and his wife’s careers.
In 2017, however, the victim found the courage to report the rapes to the police, who after intensive and rigorous investigations arrested the uncle.
During the trial it was revealed how the uncle after raping his niece told her to “keep her little mouth shut” and further threatened her, stating that “he had prayed very hard and that she would be killed by God”.
He also instructed her to read Proverbs 4:4 in a bid to further scare the victim into silence and not report the incidents.
The State prosecutor urged the court to consider the irreparable psychological damage caused by the rape incidents and that the uncle’s age, 64 years, was a non-factor in sentencing considerations.
He stressed how the victim had been raped at least 15 times in the period between 1992 to 1995.
The uncle was sentenced to eight and 10 years’ direct imprisonment respectively, which are to run concurrently.
“The National Prosecuting Authority welcomes the sentence and lauds the work of the prosecution team and the police, who ensured that even if the crimes were committed 30 years ago, justice was served. We envisage that this sentence will send a clear message to other perpetrators of gender-based violence and femicide that justice does not have an expiry date – they will be caught and prosecuted,” Senokoatsane said.
The Star