Staff Reporter
A 50-year-old man from Rammolutsi in Viljoenskroon has appeared in court facing allegations of repeatedly raping his 14-year-old step-granddaughter.
The man, who was arrested last Sunday and made his initial court appearance this week, will make a second appearance next Tuesday.
Free State police said in a statement the man was arrested after the 14-year-old victim finally gathered the strength to inform her grandmother about her ordeal at the hands of her grandfather.
“The victim alleged that the first incident occurred in August 2020 when she was at home watching TV in the absence of her grandmother,” reads part of the police statement.
“She further alleged that she was (alone) with her step-grandfather in the house when he pulled her (to) the couch in the sitting room and raped her without a condom.”
According to the police, the girl did not tell anyone about the incident because the accused threatened to kill her if she uttered a word about it to anyone.
The girl has also claimed that in September this year, the step-grandfather barged into her bedroom in the morning saying he wanted bath towels.
She said when she noticed that the accused wanted to jump onto her bed, she tried to run into the sitting room but he grabbed and dragged her into his bedroom where he raped her for the second time.
“After the ordeal, she told him that she is going to inform her grandmother but he replied . . . that he was not afraid of prison,” said the police.
They eventually reported the rape incidents on Saturday when her biological mother was home.
She told the grandmother, who was in the company of other women, that her mother did not know that the step-grandfather was allegedly abusing her sexually.
She related everything and the police were informed, leading to the arrest of the accused.