A Mitchells Plain oupa has been sent to the mang for life for raping his 13-year-old granddaughter.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, says the 63-year-old was convicted at Mitchells Plain Regional Court this week was also slapped with a 10-year sentence for attempted rape.
The oupa, who cannot be named to protect the victim, was on parole for the rape of his own daughter when he was busted for raping his granddaughter.
Ntabazalila says despite overwhelming evidence which led to his conviction, the oupa maintained his innocence and attempted to badly paint the victim.
Ntabazalila says: “He pleaded not guilty to all the charges, forcing regional court prosecutor Sergio Lorenzo Goff to run full a trial and calling witnesses including the victim, her parents, Dr Raadiya Haffejee who examined the victim and Dr Macky Matanda from Heideveld Thuthuzela Centre, who confirmed the injuries on the victim’s private parts.”
The incident dates back to May 2018 and the victim, who is now 19 years old, testified in the trial.
Ntabazalila adds: “She testified to the court that on the day, she did not attend her Grade 6 class as she was not well.
“She and her parents stayed in a wendy house in the backyard of the accused’s house.
“The accused was her paternal grandfather and was at home on the day.
“There was a rental agreement between her parents and her grandparents, and as part of that, her parents would use the toilet inside the house as the wendy house did not have a toilet.
“Around the afternoon, she went into the house to use the bathroom and as she went out, the accused stood in front of her without saying anything.
“He dragged her into his bedroom, undressed and raped her. She attempted to scream and fight back, but he overpowered her. He then stood up and left.
“She ran into the wendy house, locked herself inside and went to bed without telling anyone about her ordeal. She feared the consequences if she told anyone.”
The next day, he attempted to rape the girl again, but she fought him off and ran to her father who confronted the oupa.
Ntabazalila says the oupa was also declared unfit to possess a firearm and unfit to work with children.
The court ordered his name to be placed in the National Register for Sex Offenders, to be recorded in the National Child Protection Register for persons unsuitable to work with children and further ordered the prosecutor to inform the victim of her right to make representations should the accused be considered for parole.
Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Nicolette Bell, welcomed the sentence, emphasised the NPA’s determination to fight the scourge of gender-based violence and the importance of continuing with the campaign of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children throughout the entire year.