14 years for man who raped granddaughter

OSHAKATI – A 52-year-old man from Onashiku village near Elim, in the Omusati Region, was convicted on charge of rape and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in the regional court here Wednesday.

Aktofel Uushona pleaded guilty on the charge of raping his nine-year-old granddaughter last year on May 6 at the village. The incident took place at their homestead in Uushona’s bedroom at about 21h00.He told the court that the victim and another grandchild entered his bedroom at that time, took his cosmetic bag, opened it and took out condoms.In the process, according to Uushona, the victim asked him to put on the condom and show her how it was used.Uushona said he agreed to put on the condom and decided to demonstrate to his granddaughter how it was used by having sexual intercourse with her.Asked by Regional Court Magistrate Paulus Noah if he knew that it was wrong to have sexual intercourse with a person of that age, Uushona agreed saying he knew that once charged and convicted he would be sent to prison.”Rape is a very serious offence, it is repugnant and barbaric.The victim of rape suffers psychological trauma that lives with him-her for a long time,” Noah reminded Uushona in passing his judgement.Noah said Uushona deserved a jail sentence for the fact that the victim is not only young and vulnerable, but she is his granddaughter living with him in the same homestead under his care.”You deliberately violated the rights of this child that are entrenched in the Constitution of Namibia,” the magistrate said.Public Prosecutor, Lisias Matota, appeared for the state while the Legal Aid Directorate delegated Tulonga Nakamhela as the defence lawyer.- NampaThe incident took place at their homestead in Uushona’s bedroom at about 21h00.He told the court that the victim and another grandchild entered his bedroom at that time, took his cosmetic bag, opened it and took out condoms.In the process, according to Uushona, the victim asked him to put on the condom and show her how it was used.Uushona said he agreed to put on the condom and decided to demonstrate to his granddaughter how it was used by having sexual intercourse with her.Asked by Regional Court Magistrate Paulus Noah if he knew that it was wrong to have sexual intercourse with a person of that age, Uushona agreed saying he knew that once charged and convicted he would be sent to prison.”Rape is a very serious offence, it is repugnant and barbaric.The victim of rape suffers psychological trauma that lives with him-her for a long time,” Noah reminded Uushona in passing his judgement.Noah said Uushona deserved a jail sentence for the fact that the victim is not only young and vulnerable, but she is his granddaughter living with him in the same homestead under his care.”You deliberately violated the rights of this child that are entrenched in the Constitution of Namibia,” the magistrate said.Public Prosecutor, Lisias Matota, appeared for the state while the Legal Aid Directorate delegated Tulonga Nakamhela as the defence lawyer.- Nampa