A 38-year-old stepfather from Bethlehem has been sentenced in the Bethlehem Magistrate’s Court after pleading guilty to charges of sexual grooming.
The conviction stems from an investigation launched on 01 August 2023, following allegations of sexual abuse involving his 14-year-old stepdaughter. The victim’s mother, the complainant in the case, reported the abuse after noticing concerning changes in her daughter’s behavior.
Sergeant Frans Mofokeng, the investigating officer, uncovered that the accused had been sexually grooming the minor since she was 12 years old. The abuse occurred between 2021 and 2023 at their family home in Bethlehem. Investigations further revealed that the stepfather allegedly forced the victim to watch pornographic material.
The 14-year-old victim was referred to a psychologist, where she disclosed the prolonged abuse. This led to the registration of a criminal case while the suspect was abroad in the United States of America.
Upon his return, the stepfather was arrested on 13 November 2023 at OR Tambo International Airport.
