A mother from the Free State has been sentenced to 10 years of direct imprisonment in the Virginia Regional Court on charges of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GHB).
The woman is alleged to have assaulted her 12-year-old daughter on November 19, 2023, while the child was asleep at her grandparents’ home where she resided.
The provincial spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the victim's mother arrived at the house and accused her of stealing R100.
“The child denied taking money and the mother started to assault her all over the body and in her face with a leather belt. The child's grandparents took the child to the doctor and reported the incident to the police. The mother was arrested and charged with assault GBH on a child,” Senokoatsane said.
On February 26, the mother pleaded guilty to the charges and argued that she was a first-time offender, and claimed she was disciplining her child.
During the aggravation of sentence, State Prosecutor Maria Nel argued the mother did not care for the child and the child was in the care of her grandparents.
Nel submitted that there were no substantial and compelling circumstances for the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence and that the accused had no remorse and blamed the victim for the reason behind the assault.
She argued the mother was supposed to protect the child/
“This sentence validates the National Prosecuting Authority's commitment to continue fighting the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) particularly against women and children,” Senokoatsane said.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL