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Father gets life sentence for raping his 13-year-old daughter

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The Vredenburg regional court also gave the 41-year-old man 35 years for a second rape count and 25 years for attempted murder. The sentences run concurrently. He pleaded guilty under a plea and sentence agreement, the Western Cape National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.

The attempted murder charge relates to the girl's exposure to HIV. The state's case, as the NPA described it, is that the man meant to kill his daughter. It says he had unprotected sex with her while he knew he was HIV-positive.

NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said the man told the court on 23 May 2025 that his partner had shown him pornographic material. He said she claimed to have found it on the girl's cellphone. The girl was 13 at the time of the offences and is now 14.

Prosecutor Chandre Minnaar handled the case. The girl gave a victim impact statement, which she compiled with court preparation officer Deonett Boltney. Adrian Mopp, the Western Cape director of public prosecutions, welcomed the sentence. He said violence against women and children were matters of serious national concern.

The NPA said the sentence sent a clear message. It said those who violate the dignity, bodily integrity and safety of children will face the full might of the law.

Key facts

Who
Eric Ntabazalila (Western Cape NPA spokesperson); Chandre Minnaar (regional court prosecutor); Adrian Mopp (Western Cape director of public prosecutions); Deonett Boltney (court preparation officer who assisted the victim impact statement)
What
The Vredenburg regional court sentenced a 41-year-old man, who pleaded guilty under a plea and sentence agreement, to life imprisonment for rape and further terms for a second rape and attempted murder; the attempted murder charge relates to allegedly exposing his daughter to HIV. The Western Cape NPA announced the sentence.
When
2 November 2026
Where
Vredenburg, Paternoster, Western Cape
Status
Reported

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