A 41-year-old man will spend life in prison for raping his 13-year-old biological daughter. He also faces a conviction for attempted murder after knowingly exposing her to the risk of HIV infection.
The Vredenburg Regional Court convicted him on two counts of rape and one count of attempted murder.
The court reached the decision following a plea-and-sentence agreement.
He received life imprisonment for the first rape. In addition, the court handed him 35 years for the second rape and 25 years for attempted murder.
However, the sentences will run concurrently. This means he will effectively serve life imprisonment.
Incident Happened in Paternoster
The incident happened on 23 May 2025.
According to the court, the man became angry after finding pornographic material on his daughter’s cellphone.
He then told her that he would take her to her mother’s home. Her parents are divorced.
However, he drove her to a secluded area behind a beach in Paternoster instead.
There, he forced the teenager to lie down inside the vehicle and raped her without using a condom. He then drove her home.
The man admitted that he knew he was HIV-positive. He also admitted that he deliberately had unprotected sex with his daughter.
Furthermore, the court found that his knowledge of his HIV status and his actions showed the intention required for an attempted murder conviction.
Stepmother Helped Report the Incident
The girl’s stepmother noticed something was wrong when she returned home that evening.
After questioning her, the stepmother learned what had happened. She then helped report the matter to the police.
Meanwhile, the accused made his first appearance at the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on 26 May 2025.
He had previously been described as a community leader.
Daughter Speaks About Betrayal
In a victim impact statement, the girl spoke about the emotional pain caused by her father’s actions.
A court preparation officer helped her prepare the statement.
She said she felt hurt and disappointed because she never expected her own father to abuse her.
Despite what happened, she said she still loved him.
She also expressed sadness about her younger siblings growing up without their father.
Court Orders Man to Be Added to Sex Offenders Register
The court also declared the man unfit to possess a firearm or work with children.
Furthermore, the court ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Adrian Mopp welcomed the sentence.
He described the case as a serious example of gender-based violence and the abuse of parental trust.
Mopp said the victim was a minor who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her biological father.
He added that children should receive protection from those they trust.
The National Prosecuting Authority reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting perpetrators of sexual violence.
It also stressed the importance of protecting children from people who abuse positions of trust.
