P. 3
R1-20/FREE
Servered arm found in Bela - Bela
31 July 2015
Man accused of abusing his 10-year old stepdaughter “One morning in February I saw my daughter’s pants down and asked her about it. She said nothing was wrong and I never suspected anything because I trusted my husband and never thought he could do something so cruel. But then my daughter’s behaviour started changing and her educators also expressed their concerns,” she said. “He gave her morning after pills without my knowledge, which made her sick and he promised to get
a case. She further said that after months of struggling to get the police’s help in the matter, she then resorted to an attorney in Pretoria who eventually got the police to act, and the man was finally arrested and charged. “The attorney told the police he would take further steps against them if they continued refusing to help me because that was abuse and my child was suffering. He made follow-ups until the perpetrator was arrested,” the distraught mother said. “Before his arrest, my husband sent
Police advised they solve the matter his her help. ‘as a family’ lawyers to ask But then she
Photo for illustration purposes only.
Lizzy Bapela A suspect in Modimolle is expected to appear in the local magistrate’s court on Monday, 3 August, for allegedly raping his 10-year-old stepdaughter. The man was arrested
on Tuesday, 21 July, after the victim’s mother fought a six month-long battle to see justice done. He was denied bail when he appeared in court on Friday, 24 July, and his case was postponed for further investigations. According to the mother, the
suspect has been abusing the child since she was eight. Her two siblings, three and six years old, saw the ordeal one day, but were threatened into silence. She told The BEAT that all this was happening under her roof, without her knowledge.
started bleeding the following day. He then brought her a rub and pain tablets, saying that it was recommended at the pharmacy when he explained her condition to them.” “I questioned her further as I could see that something was definitely not right, and she said that her stepfather had been abusing her. She said that he had threatened to kill us all if she told anyone. I questioned him and he denied everything, saying that my daughter was lying,” said the mother. She told The BEAT that she took the child to the clinic where she was referred to a doctor, who called the police after examining her. She said the police advised that they solve the matter as a family and never arrested him. Instead they sent her from pillar to post when she enquired about the matter. She added that the psychologists and social workers also could not help, saying that she needed to open
for a divorce. I did not have objection because I had already moved back in with my parents since we were constantly fighting and there was no peace in our household anymore.” “I questioned him again and he confessed, saying that he did have sex with her, but did not impregnate her. My child is now struggling to cope and in undergoing counselling. The matter has affected us both so much that I often wish I was dead instead of going through such unbearable pain,” said the mother. The victim’s uncle said that they suspect the man bribed some of the police officers as he continued with his life as normal even though they had made a complaint. Nothing was done until the lawyer badgered the police into arresting the man. He added that the suspect blamed the mother, saying that it was her fault. At the time of going to press police spokesperson Warrant Officer James Findlay said that he did not have the facts of the case at hand and could not comment on the matter at this time.