A minor child who was raped by an elderly Windhoek man Jeremia van Wyk has developed behavioural problems since the incident, including outburst of aggression, a City Police officer said last week.
Superintendent Cecilia Kolokwe from the Windhoek City Police Community Policing Department was testifying during mitigation of sentence last Friday before Windhoek High Court Judge Naomi Shivute. Judge Shivute last week convicted Van Wyk of rape by way of penile penetration of the then five-year-old girl. According to Kolokwe, she has been in contact with the parents of the child and often called when she acts out.
She further said the girl suffered and is suffering from trauma, although she does receive counselling. When they found the child at the bar, she was shivering and wide-eyed and did not say anything, but when they took her to the Gender-Based Violence Unit at Katutura hospital, she began to scream and cry uncontrollably, the officer informed the court.
Kolokwe became very emotional during her testimony, saying that there is an increase in offences of sexual nature involving children and the public must be educated on what to look out for lest their children fall victim. Felistas Shikerete-Vendura on behalf of the prosecution said Van Wyk is a dangerous man who must he removed from society for a very long time.
“The accused has demonstrated that he is past rehabilitation, he finds himself continuously in conflict with the law and at this juncture, it is safe to conclude that he is a hazard to others living in society and should therefore be removed from society for a very long time, especially in light of the sodomy conviction which has a similarity to the matter at hand,” she stated.
Shikerete asked the court to sentence Van Wyk to 30 years on the rape conviction and 10 years on the abduction conviction. Joseph Andreas, who is representing Van Wyk on instructions of legal aid, submitted Van Wyk has apologised to the family of the victim and expressed his sorrow for what he
did.
He further said Van Wyk has accepted responsibility for his actions from the outset when he expressed his desire to plead guilty to the charges at his first appearance in the magistrate court.
He did not suggest a period of imprisonment, but did say direct imprisonment is unavoidable in this matter. Shivute indicated that she will deliver her ruling on the sentence on 5 July. Van Wyk was convicted on a charge of rape and abduction.
He picked up his victim from her day-care facility in Khomasdal from where he walked with her to Katutura where he violated her.
Following the sexual violation, he went to drink with his friends while in the company of the victim.
– rrouth@nepc.com.na