Man sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for raping 15-month-old baby

The High Court of South Africa, Eastern Cape Division, has sentenced a 62-year-old man from Mdantsane to 18-years imprisonment for raping a 15-month-old baby.

During the sentencing, Judge Belinda Hartle said that Peter Tshemese did not take responsibility and was not remorseful for his actions. 

TSHEMESE SENTENCED FOR RAPING A BABY 

According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Regional spokesperson Anelisa Ngcakani, Tshemese penetrated the baby girl with his finger at his house in Mdantsane in October 2018. Now, nearly two years later, justice has been served. 

“Moreover, medical examinations revealed that the hymen of the child was broken and that there was swelling and tearing on her private part,” said Ngcakani. 

The mother of the child is a family friend of the Tshemese family and Tshemese’s wife was babysitting the baby while the mother was at work. 

“Tshemese’s wife heard the child crying in a strange manner, she went to investigate and found the baby girl in the same bed as her husband. She discovered that the buttons of [the] baby’s romper had been loosened and that her diaper had blood on it,” said Ngcakani. 

TSHEMESE WAS NOT REMORSEFUL 

The prosecutor of the case Advocate Shandre Grootboom stated in court that Tshemese  took advantage of an innocent baby girl when he was in a position of trust as a father figure to the baby. 

“He deprived the baby of her innocence. She was unable to protect herself.” She added that Tshemese was not remorseful.

During sentencing Judge Belinda Hartle said that Tshemese did not take responsibility and was not remorseful for raping the baby girl. She added that he betrayed his own wife and the parents of the baby, as he was a father figure to the baby. 

“You took advantage of the situation and the vulnerability of the baby,” she said. 

Judge Hartle also said that the imposition of a life sentence would be disproportionate as Tshemese is 62-years-old and a first offender.

PHILIPPI EAST MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR RAPE OF DAUGHTER 

In a separate incident, a 46-year-old man in Philippi East Cape Town, Luyanda Daniels, has been sentenced to life behind bars for raping his 14-year-old daughter back in August 2017. 

The South African Police Service (SAPS) welcomed the ruling, in a brief statement on Tuesday 1 September 2020. 

“The Western Cape SAPS management welcomes the life sentence that was handed down by Wynberg Regional Court to Luyanda Daniels, 46, for raping his 14-year-old daughter on 11 August 2017 in the Marikana informal settlement in Philippi East,” said spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana. 

“On Monday, 24 August 2020 the investigator in the case, Detective Sergeant Yandiswa Jack could not contain her excitement citing that the sentence brought smiles to her as she secured this sentence in Women’s month,” added Rwexana.