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KZN teen tried to end her life after repeated rape by stepdad, court hears

Suthentira Govender Senior reporter
A KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for repeated rape of stepdaughter. Stock photo.
A KwaZulu-Natal man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for repeated rape of stepdaughter. Stock photo.
Image: 123RF/tinnakornlek

A Pietermaritzburg teenager quit school and attempted to end her life after she was repeatedly raped by her stepfather.

This emerged in the court case of a 36-year-old man who has been sentenced to life imprisonment after his rape conviction in the Pietermaritzburg high court.

The Northdale man raped the girl, who was 13 at the time, from September 2016 to June 2017, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said.

“The child did not tell her mother for fear that her mother would not believe her. She eventually confided in her cousin, who then told her parents.

“They informed the police and the man was arrested. The child was taken to the Thuthuzela Care Centre in Edendale where she received the necessary services and psychosocial support to deal with her trauma.”

The state led evidence by the girl, her cousin and a doctor who attended to her.

In a victim impact statement submitted to the court, the girl said the incident had left her “emotionally traumatised”.

“Due to this she attempted suicide and had to leave school because she couldn’t concentrate. She was also affected by the fact that her mother did not believe her claims and chose to support her stepfather instead.

“The NPA welcomes the outcome and believes the sentence fits the crime. The man was in a position of trust and was supposed to protect the child. However, he violated her instead,” said Ramkisson-Kara.

TimesLIVE


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