A 36-year-old Durban man who repeatedly raped his two stepdaughters, one as young as five, has been handed a double life sentence.
The man who cannot be named to protect the victims identity was convicted and sentenced in the Durban Regional Court this week.
Horrific details of how the man repeatedly raped the two girls who were aged 5 and 9 emerged in court.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) the man had been dating the girl’s mother and she often left them in his care while she went to work.
The offences took place between 2020 and 2021, in the Emanyaleni, area near Chatsworth.
“The man would call the girls into his room/bed under the guise of allowing them to play games on his cellphone.
“That is when he raped them and would threaten to hurt/kill them if they told anyone,” said NPA spokesperson Natasha Kara.
“They eventually confided in their older sister, who did not initially tell their mother.
“Then, when the man asked her (their older sister) to play games on his phone, she realised what his intentions were, refused him and told her mother what was going on.
“The police were alerted, and the accused was arrested.”
The children were taken to the RK Khan Thuthuzela Care Centre, where they received further assistance.
Regional Court Prosecutor Lungile Shandu, led the evidence of both the girls mother who said that she felt responsible for what happened because she had brought the man into her children’s lives.
In addition to a life sentence, the court also ruled that he is not permitted to work with children and that his name is entered into the National Register For Sex Offenders.
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