Former government employee and church pastor sentenced to life in prison for raping his nephew

In an act unbecoming of a church pastor and former government employee, a 61-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for raping his nephew.

The niece of a former Ministry of Public Service and Administration employee suffered depression and emotional trauma after her uncle raped her in 2017, which negatively affected her academic performance.

The victim, who was 10 years old at the time, was staying with her aunt, who was married to the defendant, when the incident occurred.

10-year-old niece raped by her aunt’s husband

On November 12, 2017, the man and his nephew were moving some of their belongings to their new home in Mamelodi East, Tsakane District.

Once there, the man, who also served as a deacon at the International Assembly of God Church, raped his niece and instructed her not to tell anyone, claiming they were “playing a game.”

ALSO READ: South Africans warned against ‘harboring’ illegal immigrants after arrest of Mozambican suspect (VIDEO)

The truth of what happened only came to light a year later, when the aunt learned about the rape and reported it to the police on November 18, 2018. The former government employee and church pastor was arrested on February 2, 2019.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana told the Pretoria Magistrates Court that the uncle had pleaded not guilty to rape, claiming his wife conspired to alienate him from the family.

But Mahanjana said State’s Attorney Attorney Annelizer Stiles called several witnesses to the stand, including the victim, a medical professional and the defendant’s wife, who presented compelling evidence of the man’s guilt.

The defendant claimed that his wife conspired against him

“Additionally, during the trial, Attorney Stiles presented a Victim Impact Report (VIR) prepared by social workers from the Department of Social Development. The report revealed that the victim experienced significant adverse effects on her academic performance,” Mahanjana said.

The wife also told VIR that the incident led to the breakdown of her marriage and had a toxic effect on her family dynamics, including estrangement from her older children, who blamed her for their father’s arrest.

ALSO READ: Police arrest Mozambican suspect for rape and murder of Amantle Samane

In handing down the sentence, Judge Ntlanti emphasized that although the defendant took advantage of a defenseless child, he showed no remorse for his actions.

As a result, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and declared unfit to possess a firearm. The uncle’s name will also be added to the National Sex Offender Registry.

Sex offenders are registered

The NPA welcomed the sentence and reaffirmed its commitment to combating sexual violence and protecting the rights of victims.

“NPA will continue to hold perpetrators accountable to ensure justice for individuals affected by such heinous crimes,” Mahanjana said.