Stepdad accused of raping daughter

By: DENVER ISAACS

A DECISION by the Lüderitz Magistrate’s Court last year to grant N$1000 bail with no conditions to a multiple child-rape suspect is being challenged by the man’s former common-law wife, who claims to also be the grandmother of his fivemonth- old daughter with her eldest child.

The suspect, who may not be named to protect the identity of his alleged victim and her family, was arrested at the Lüderitz State hospital on June 13 last year, after the then 14- year-old girl said he had made her pregnant.

In a sworn statement to the Police, the girl alleged that her stepfather had violently raped her on several occasions after she moved in with her mother in 2003 from her previous home in the North. The girl said in the statement that her stepfather had threatened to beat or kill her if she told anyone about the rape. She further alleged that she was promised payment on more than one occasion. Speaking to The Namibian telephonically yesterday, the suspect claimed the allegations against him were fabricated by his former wife. He confirmed that he was granted bail on October 17 after nearly a month in the Police cells. His next court date is set
for March 30. The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) yesterday said it is looking into
complaints made by the suspect’s former wife but did not confirm that it is officially taking on the case. T h e w o m a n a l s o complained that she is not receiving maintenance payments for her three children and her daughter’s baby. Attempts to get a protection order against her ex-husband to protect her and her children have
also been denied her on various occasions, she
said. The Karas Regional Police Head Office yesterday said it was satisfied with the Police’s handling of the case. “It must be understood that the decision around bail lies with the court and not with the Police. But in case our handling of the issue is deemed questionable, they [the complainant] may approach our Complaints and Discipline Division,” the office stated. An officer attached to this division said complaints over continued threats against the family were investigated, but it was found that the suspect was not in Lüderitz at the time these allegations
were made. “I would like to see the case rather moved to the Windhoek court”, the suspect’s ex-wife told The Namibian yesterday, saying that the man had been employed by the Ministry of Justice at Lüderitz until the time of his arrest.

 

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