Western Cape man sentenced for rape, child trafficking, and over 600 child porn charges

A WESTERN Cape man has been sentenced in the Paarl Regional Court following his conviction on a raft of charges, including rape and child pornography.

- ROBIN-LEE FRANCKE

The 27-year-old man was found guilty on two counts of trafficking in persons for online exploitation, four counts of rape of two minor children, three counts of using children for or benefiting from child pornography, 629 counts of possession of child pornography, three counts of unlawful and intentional distribution of child pornography, and three counts of child abuse.

The court sentenced the accused to a total of 195 years but ordered most of the sentences to run concurrently.

The rapist cannot be named to protect the identity of his children, who were violated during the commission of these crimes. The affected children include two girls aged six, another girl aged four and a one-year-old boy.

Western Cape spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Eric Ntabazalila, said the matter did not go to trial.

“The State and the accused, to facilitate the children from secondary victimisation, finalised the matter by way of a plea and sentencing agreement,” Ntabazalila said.

The court heard that the man got married to the mother of his children on March 4, 2018; he was unemployed and stayed home with the minor children.