No Bail for Benoni Dad: Court Stands Firm in Daughter’s Rape Case

The Tsakani Magistrates’ Court sent a clear message this week: some crimes are too horrific for bail. A 39-year-old Lindelani father, accused of raping his own daughter for years, will remain behind bars after Magistrate Tebogo Lekgau refused his plea for release.

The case has shaken the Benoni community, exposing not just the alleged abuse but a mother’s heartbreaking denial and a pregnancy that became undeniable proof.

A Daughter’s Betrayal

The nightmare began in March 2022. The victim, then just 15, lived with her parents and younger brother in Tsakani. According to court testimony, her father waited for his wife to leave for church before sending the boy out to buy chips. Alone with his daughter, he allegedly locked the door, assaulted her, and left her crying on her bed.

When the mother returned, she dismissed her daughter’s tearful confession. The rapes continued, ignored even as the girl grew visibly ill. Months later, a hospital visit revealed the unthinkable: she was pregnant.

Desperate Measures
The mother, still refusing to believe her husband’s guilt, tried to terminate the pregnancy with a home remedy. When that failed, the family sent the girl to Limpopo, ostensibly for her safety, but critics say it was a cover-up. There, in December 2022, she gave birth to a boy. DNA tests later confirmed the father’s paternity.

Justice Delayed, But Not Denied

For three years, the victim suffered in silence. Only after turning 18 did she find the courage to report the rapes. Her father was arrested in Limpopo last month, but not before allegedly traveling there to intimidate her.

In court, he argued for R1,000 bail, claiming he was the sole provider for his three other children. But Prosecutor Sindi Leonora Sejake fired back: DNA doesn’t lie, and witness tampering was a real risk.

Magistrate Lekgau agreed, citing the “strong state case” and the community’s outrage. “This was a betrayal by both parents,” she noted, referencing the mother’s refusal to protect her child.

A Community’s Anger

Social media has erupted over the case, with many praising the court’s decision. “How could a mother ignore her own child’s pain?” one Twitter user asked. Others pointed to South Africa’s grim gender-based violence statistics, demanding harsher penalties for incestuous abuse.

The father now faces life in prison if convicted. The case returns to court August 28, but for the victim, the fight for justice is far from over.

{Source: The Citizen}

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