News24 | Gauteng father facing rape charge after impregnating daughter

The victim gave birth to a baby boy in December 2022.

• A Gauteng father was arrested on 19 July after his daughter opened a rape charge against him.
• The victim gave birth in December 2022.
• The State opposed bail, and the matter was postponed to 12 August for bail judgment.

A Gauteng man accused of raping and impregnating his daughter pleaded with the court to be granted bail.

The 39-year-old accused, whose identity cannot be disclosed to protect the victim, was arrested on 19 July after the victim, now 18, filed a rape case against him.

During Friday’s bail hearing in the Tsakane Magistrate’s Court in Ekurhuleni, the accused requested to be released on R1 000 bail, claiming he was the primary caregiver for his three children - aged 1, 12 and 18 - as his wife was unemployed and unable to support them.

But the investigating officer, Sergeant Tebogo Lephoto, strongly opposed the bail application, alleging the State had a strong case which was supported by DNA evidence to confirm that the accused had fathered the victim’s child.

READ | Abused girl, 4, dies in hospital after parents’ first court appearance

Additionally, Lephoto testified that the accused posed a flight risk and was likely to interfere with witnesses.

“The father had allegedly travelled from Gauteng to Limpopo to confront the victim after learning she had opened a case and spoken about the matter on social media,” Lephoto told the court.

Background

The National Prosecuting Authority’s regional spokesperson, Lumka Mahanjana, said in a statement issued on Friday that the alleged abuse began in March 2022 when the victim was living with her parents and younger brother.

On the day of the first reported incident, the mother had gone to church, leaving the children with their father.

“The father allegedly called the victim into the house while she was playing outside and sent her brother to a nearby shop to buy chips. When the victim entered the house, she found her father in her room. He allegedly locked the door behind her, undressed, raped her, and then left her in the room,” Mahanjana stated.

When the mother returned home later that day, she found the victim crying in her bedroom.

READ | Limpopo man back in custody on multiple rape and armed robbery charges

Upon being asked, the victim disclosed the incident, but the mother did not believe her, Mahanjana added.

“The abuse allegedly continued and, despite the victim attempting to share her account during subsequent incidents, her mother still dismissed her claims. Eventually, the victim stopped confiding in her altogether.

“The situation escalated when the victim fell ill, prompting her mother to take her to Pholosong Hospital, where it was revealed that she was pregnant.

“Instead of helping her daughter, the mother allegedly attempted to terminate the pregnancy by giving her a concoction, which failed,” Mahanjana reported.

In an attempt to allegedly conceal the matter, the parents sent the victim to Limpopo to live with her paternal grandmother, where she gave birth to a baby boy in December 2022, said Mahanjana.

The court postponed the case to 12 August 2025 for a bail judgment.