Outrage at house arrest plea after rape of mentally disabled stepdaughter

Women and Men Against Child Abuse expressed outrage on Thursday that lawyers acting for a man convicted of sexually grooming and raping his mentally disabled stepdaughter asked that he be spared jail time.

The child protection organisation's advocacy manager Ngaa Murombedzi said the man's legal team had asked that he be placed under house arrest.

The case was heard at the high court in Johannesburg and the man's defence team raised concerns about overcrowded jails and access to medical care for him.

Murombedzi said: “It is simply reckless and irresponsible that a representative of the state, regardless of whether she was appointed by the defence, would recommend a non-custodial sentence for a convicted rapist who is a clear danger to society.”

Murombedzi said despite this, they were encouraged by the heads of argument delivered by the state, and the judge who they said had questioned this call from the defence.

The case was postponed until next Thursday for sentencing.

The organisation said it hoped the man would be handed a life sentence.

“Our organisation will not stand for perpetrator-centric sentences,” Murombedzi added.

The man is to be sentenced for the rape, sexual assault and sexual grooming of a mentally disabled person, exposing her to pornography and compelling her to witness self-masturbation.