A 78-year-old retired police captain was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Sterkspruit Regional Court on Wednesday for raping his then-10-year-old granddaughter more than 18 years ago.
According to a statement by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was a 60-year-old police officer stationed in the Free State at the time of the incident.
The case went unreported for 14 years, until 2016, when the victim decided to report it to the police.
"Advocate Loyiso Methuso, for the State, led the evidence for the victim, now 28 years old, who gave a clear and satisfactory account of the incident, despite the 18-year lapse," Tyali said.
"The court held that the man broke the relationship of trust and failed in his duty to protect the child, as both her grandfather and a police officer.
