Cape Town - A Cape Town family says their healing journey is now beginning after their daughter’s rapist has finally been found guilty in the Parow Regional Court.
Amien Fakier, 55, from Suburban in Delft, was found guilty on three counts of rape and a count of sexual assault on Thursday.
Fakier, a community worker and then school transport driver, raped the then 15-year-old girl on February 19 and 20, 2020, before dropping her off at school.
Previously, the victim’s devastated mother said they had trusted Fakier because they’d known him for six years and she thought her daughter would be safer with him than taking public transport to school.
The court case has been running for more than three years, riddled with numerous delays, and the family said it felt like a never-ending story.
Speaking to IOL, the victim’s mother explained all their family had to endure during the court case.
“We have been belittled, named and shamed. She has been through hell and back. There is so much our family has had to endure.
“All I wanted to hear in that courtroom was guilty and as we were sitting there before we heard the verdict I was not ready for what was to come,” she said.
As the magistrate delivered his judgment, the family, who have no knowledge of the court system, said they had no idea their daughter’s full testimony would be read out loud.
“I didn’t know the judge was going to read out her testimony in detail.
“Her dad and I were sitting there, we had to sit and listen to her testimony. It broke her dad and it broke me. Hearing in detail what that man has done to her.
“There were so many emotions at the time. I could picture it at that moment. I was thinking what was going through her mind, how scared she was. But, it’s over. He was found guilty.
“Hearing those words – guilty – gave me some kind of relief. I slept for the first time in almost three and a half years,” the mother told IOL.
While the family has welcomed the guilty verdict, they are saddened by the hurt Fakier’s family is enduring.
“It wasn’t easy. She is so relieved but we do feel sorry for his family. I pray the Almighty makes it easy for them but he did this. Not us. The day he decided to rape my daughter. He ruined our family and his at the same time.
“We still have a healing journey that is starting right now. It won’t be easy but it will be much lighter than before knowing he is behind bars and knowing he cannot hurt anyone else again,” the relieved mother said.
Fakier, who was out on bail, was immediately taken into custody after judgment was handed down.
“We couldn’t breathe before, now I am actually breathing. We survived. She was a victim but she became a survivor. Now, we need to start living. We can now look forward, we aren’t stuck any more,” the mother added.
Fakier is expected to be sentenced on Tuesday, May 30.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL