OUPA'S RAPE SENTENCE UPHELD

AN OUPA will continue serving his life sentence for the rape of his seven-year-old step-granddaughter after he appealed against his conviction and sentence at the Western Cape High Court. 

The man, 65, committed the rape on the girl’s birthday in March 2016.

His appeal related to, among other reasons, the reliability of the testimony of the minor girl who was the single witness in the matter.

He also argued that the regional magistrate “overemphasised the severity of the crime and the interests of society”. 

The minor girl accompanied her grandfather to Mitchells Plain by train on her birthday after he told her he wanted to buy her a birthday cake.

The judgment read: “He assured her that her grandmother, with whom she lived, had permitted him to take her along. He purchased the cake. He also bought food and drinks for them to consume. 

“The appellant then led the minor to a secluded bush where he raped her. Seven years had elapsed before the minor testified.”

The grandfather then swore the girl to secrecy, and on her return home, she was punished by the grandmother for accompanying the grandfather without her permission.

When the family found out about the rape, the meisie’s father was implicated. 

But the judgment adds: “The minor denied that the father would commit an act of that nature and divulged that the appellant was responsible. 

“She was taken to a social worker and subsequently to the clinic for an examination. Her grandmother punished her for not disclosing the rape.”

According to the court record, the man could not explain why the minor would lie about the rape.