CONGOLESE NATIONAL SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR RAPING A 7-YEAR-OLD STEPCHILD
Jean Claude Bukasa(33) was sentenced by the Boksburg Regional Court to life imprisonment for raping a seven-year-old minor in Boksburg. On the fateful day 23 June 2021, investigations by Sergeant Ndima from Family, Children and Sexual Offences discovered that the seven-year-old victim at the time of the incident, was left in the care of the accused while their mother took a bath. Upon her return from the bathroom, the mother noticed an unusual sticky white substance on the bed, which she wiped off. She then saw a tissue in the bedroom dustbin, further arousing her curiosity. With growing suspicion, she asked her daughter to explain exactly what had occurred while she was taking a bath. The minor then disclosed that the accused had raped her. Due to her young age, it was challenging for her to remember all the details, but medical evidence and a DNA report supported her testimony.
The accused and the victim’s mother were an engaged couple from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), living in South Africa with valid work permits. Bukasa is the father of the victim’s brother. During the trial, the accused pleaded not guilty and begged for leniency because he supports both the victim and his brother, however, State Advocate Beatrice Nxumalo put it to the court and emphasised the severity of the crime, the victim’s trust in the accused and the need to prioritize the interests of society and the victim.
The state also provided a victim impact statement which revealed that the mother is currently attending counseling with her two minor children to help them process the trauma and understand that the accused, their father is now held accountable and can no longer harm them. She had initially felt guilty for not recognizing the signs, but counselling has helped her realize that it’s not her fault. She expressed gratitude to the state and investigation officer for their efforts in holding the accused accountable.
When handing down the sentence, Magistrate Shilubana noted that the accused showed no remorse and had betrayed the trust of the child victim, who had looked up to him as her stepfather. The magistrate also emphasised that the accused had exploited his position of trust, taking advantage of his relationship with the child to commit the offence.
All cases of sexual violence encroach on the rights to dignity and privacy of the victims as enshrined in our Constitution hence the NPA aggressively prosecutes these cases.
