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- Nyamekile Alfred Bhenge has been sentenced to six years in prison for raping his teenage daughter between 1978 and 1984 at their Mthatha home.
- The two were staying together most of the time as the woman's mother worked as a domestic worker in Durban.
- The victim, now an established businesswoman, gave birth to Bhenge's son in 1983 who is now 37.
An 80-year-old Eastern Cape man has been sentenced to six years in prison for raping his biological teenage daughter between 1978 and 1984, and impregnating her.
On Tuesday, the Mthatha Regional Court sentenced Nyamekile Alfred Bhenge.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Wednesday that the victim, who had since cut ties with her family and changed her identity, gave consent for the name of her rapist father to be made public.
According to the NPA, Bhenge started raping the woman when she was 14-years-old.
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At the time of the rapes, they lived at Ngangelizwe township in Mthatha, while her mother, who had since divorced Bhenge, worked as a domestic worker in Durban.
NPA spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said:
The daughter had fled to Gauteng after discovering she was pregnant.
Tyali added:
Gauteng police transferred the case to Mthatha and after investigations were concluded, Bhenge was arrested.
He was convicted in July this year after pleading guilty, the NPA said.
In his plea explanation, Bhenge blamed alcohol.
Tyali said:
In pre-sentence reports submitted to court, the victim - who had since become an established businesswoman - vowed never to forgive her father, adding that she wanted nothing to do with her entire extended family due to the abuse she endured, Tyali said.
He added that since the crimes were committed before the Minimum Sentences Act came into effect, the court used its discretion in sentencing Bhenge and considered his age and health.
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The NPA welcomed the sentence and said it hoped it would encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward even if the crimes took place a long time ago, so that the perpetrators could face the full might of the law.
