A 42-year-old man was sentenced to two life imprisonment terms by the KwaMhlanga Regional Court on Monday after he was found guilty of raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter on two occasions in March and April 2015.
According to a statement by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the victim's mother had left home to attend traditional ceremony training when the teenager's stepfather, from Tweefontein in Mpumalanga, raped her.
"The accused took the victim to his parental home where the first incident happened and again on their way back, he pulled off the road and forcefully raped her under a bridge," NPA spokesperson Monica Nyuswa said.
"The victim reported the ordeal to her sister and her mother, and the authorities were alerted, hence his arrest."
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, denied the allegations levelled against him. When the State presented DNA evidence linking him to the rape, he disputed its accuracy.
State prosecutor Bianca Harmse led testimonies of the victim, the first report and that of the forensic nurse, Nyuswa said.
"The J88 [form] confirmed penetration with injuries to the victim's private part, and the accused was found guilty as charged.
"Addressing the court for a harsh sentence, the State emphasised the seriousness of the offence and that it was committed against a child by her own stepfather, who was supposed to protect and care for her in the absence of her mother," Nyuswa said.
"The State submitted that there were no substantial or compelling circumstances to deviate from the prescribed sentence of life."
The man was sentenced to life in prison for each rape charge, which will run concurrently. He was also found unfit to possess a firearm and found unsuitable to work with children.
The court further ordered that his name be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders and that his employer be notified.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Matric Luphondo applauded the good work by the team in addressing the scourge of gender-based violence in society.