Conviction in decades-old case offers new hope to sexual assault survivors

THREE decades after incidents of rape and indecent assault of a minor occurred, the State secured a landmark conviction against the accused.

- CHEVON BOOYSEN

The matter led by State prosecutor Carryn Uys saw Clinton McMaster, formerly Clinton Nair, being found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and one count of rape, perpetrated between 1990 and 1991.

The victory stands as a beacon of hope to survivors of historical sexual assault crimes who can seek justice in their own cases.

McMaster was convicted in the Cape Town Dedicated Sexual Offences Regional Court in October last year, where Uys's dedication and expertise played a crucial role despite the challenges posed by the case's complexity and the passage of time.

He was sentenced to an effective seven years behind bars.

The victim, Zara Katovsky (who gave permission for her name to be published), attributed the victory to divine intervention. She was raped and groomed by McMaster, who had worked for her father as the family’s bookkeeper.