No bail for man accused of raping his stepdaughter (8)

Atteridgeville Magistrates Court on Wednesday denied bail to a 42-year-old man after he allegedly raped his eight-year-old stepdaughter.

According to Lumka Mahanjana, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, the accused and the victim’s mother are in a relationship and lived together in Atteridgeville.

Mahanjana said the eight-year-old was left at home on April 27 with the accused and a five-year-old child whom the accused shares with the victim’s mother.

The mother had gone to work and the defendant wanted to take over a night shift.

“It is alleged that while the two children were watching television, the five-year-old left her eight-year-old sibling and went to the bathroom. While they were in the bathroom, the defendant is said to have called the victim into his room.”

Mahanjana said when the five-year-old returned to the living room, she could not find her sister and called out for her.

“It is alleged that the father told the five-year-old that the victim had gone shopping.”

Mahanjana said when the five-year-old noticed that the victim had not left the house, she stopped outside the house and waited for the mother to return from work.

“When the mother returned home, the defendant had already left for work. However, the five-year-old told the mother that the defendant lied and said the victim had gone shopping while she was still in the house.”

She said the mother then asked the victim, who then told her that the stepfather had raped her and was continuing to rape her. The mother then took the child to the police station, where the incident was reported.

In court, the defendant denied having committed the crime.

“Through his lawyer, the accused sought bail on the grounds that he is the breadwinner of the family and has to continue to support them. He also informed the court that he does not wish to plead guilty to the charges against him,” Mahanjana said.

However, prosecutor Belinda Williamson argued against the defendant being released on bail, telling the court that he had committed a serious Schedule 6 offence.

“Moreover, the accused was known to the victim and was therefore able to make the victim withdraw the complaint and threaten her as he had previously threatened her and told her not to tell anyone about the rape incidents.”

Mahanjana said the judge agreed with the state and said in his view the accused had not proved that there were exceptional circumstances which would warrant his release on bail in the interests of justice.

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