A FATHER from the Eastern Cape will spend the rest of his life in prison.
The 27-year-old man was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Centane Regional Court on Friday, 12 April for raping his underage daughter.
During the trial, the court learnt how Mboneleli Sabane had raped his seven-year-old daughter, who doesn't have the same surname as him. The victim reported the matter to her gogo, but she was dismissed.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Luxolo Tyali said: "The incident occurred in 2021 at Lusizi location in Centane. The victim was visiting her father's family when she was raped by her dad in a rondaval where they were sleeping at night, after which he threatened her with death.
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"When the young victim contacted her paternal grandmother the next morning, she dismissed her and stood by her son, who repeated his threats. When the minor returned to her parental home, she told her cousin about her ordeal, who in turn informed the elders."
Tyali said the victim was taken to Butterworth Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) where medical examinations confirmed that she had been raped, leading to the father's arrest.
"During the trial, Sabane pleaded not guilty and denied touching her daughter during her visit. But acting prosecutor Siyabonga Manase cited the victim's evidence, which was supported by court preparatory officer Brenda Kapa.
"The victim's cousin and the TCC forensic nurse strengthened the state's case when they testified against the rapist," Tyali said.
He said that after the conviction, prosecutor Manase asked the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment and the court agreed," Tyali said.
