A 52-year-old Paarl oupa has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping and creating pornographic material of a two-year-old relative.
The rapist, Wikus van Deventer, was sentenced on Friday as the country marked the end of Child Protection Week.
A case was opened against him in May last year after two children were left in his care.
“It was upon the return of the mother of the child that it was discovered that something was amiss.
“Further investigation of the matter resulted in the discovery of the child’s naked pictures and videos in the accused’s cellphone,” said police spokesperson Novela Potelwa.
“Warrant Officer Robin Taudie of the Serial and Electronic Crime Investigation Unit initiated an extensive investigation that saw Van Deventer’s cellphone sent for forensic analysis in Pretoria.”
Novela said Van Deventer was sentenced to 25 years for child rape and eight years for the creation and possession of child pornography.
He will serve an effective 30 years. Three years of the eight-year child porn sentence will run concurrently with the rape jail term.
Western Cape Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembisile Patekile lauded the investigation and prosecution teams for ensuring Van Deventer’s incarceration.
“With the perpetrator behind bars, we are relieved because children who were in his proximity are safe.”
On Friday, Minister of Police Bheki Cele released crime statistics for January to March that showed that 10 818 people were raped in the country and sexual offences increased by 13.7%.
Delft, Harare, Mfuleni and Kraaifontein police stations were the among those with the most rape cases reported.