Don't Look Away: 34-year-old man sentenced to life in prison for raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter

A 34-year-old man, Kana Thebe has been sentenced to life imprisonment for raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter.

The sentence was handed by the Mogwase Regional Court in the North West.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) communications officer Sivenathi Gunya said the incident occurred on March 23, 2018, when the victim was eleven years old. The mother, along with the accused, picked up the child from school.

The plan was for the youngster to accompany the accused to Northam town after school to shop for clothes.

"After the mother separated from them, the accused then took the victim to Segakwaneng village at his shack where he resided with the mother of the victim. Once there, he ordered her to undress. Her resistance was met with assault with open hands and threats to be hit with a garden spade," Gunya said.

He further told the victim not to scream because there are 'witches' in the area, and they would take her away. He then got on top of her and raped her.

The court heard terrible details of the crime, highlighting the victim's vulnerability. It was discovered that he had repeatedly raped her. During his heinous conduct, there was a knock at the door that he disregarded. The victim recognised her mother's voice at the door.

She managed to flee and open. As the mother entered the hut, she saw the man naked on the bed. She asked him what he was doing.

"A scuffle ensued, and he tried to hit the mother with an iron bar. She, however, overpowered him and managed to disarm him and hit him with that iron rod, and he fled. He evaded arrest but was finally arrested nearly two months later on May 2, 2018."

He was given bail following his court hearings, but because he failed to appear as ordered by the court, he was detained again and held in jail until the case was resolved.

The trial was further delayed by the frequent turnover of his legal representation. DNA was used as evidence to show that his samples matched those found in her genitals.

Prosecutor Tebogo Mokoka told the court that the accused betrayed the child's trust and that the experience traumatised her. The presiding magistrate, Lebo Raborife, sided with the state. She stated that the courts must protect the weak and eradicate the epidemic of gender-based violence.

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