The Pretoria High Court in South Africa has sentenced Hugo Ferreira to two lives for a 37-year-old man from Carletonville, his eight-day eldest daughter Caithlyn Ferreira.
The National Prosecution Agency (NPA) welcomed the sentencing in a statement Tuesday, April 8, 2025, which “reflects the seriousness of the father’s crime against his children.”
“Ferreira, in a relationship, lives with her mother in Welverdiend, Carletonville. On June 8, 2023, the mother left the house to sell clothes and buy diapers and entrust the baby to Ferreira’s care. Before she left, Ferreira instructed her to return within five minutes because the baby was breastfeeding for the baby.”
When she failed to return on time, the baby started crying, and Ferreira was angry, beating and raped the newborn. He invaded her with his fingers and rubbed his private parts on her, later claiming that he was “a reason to cry for the baby.”
After the mother returns, Ferreira initially hides the injured child and refuses to hand her over to her. The mother then called the police. Her injuries became apparent when he handed them to the baby in front of the police. Ferreira was immediately arrested, the baby was taken to the hospital, and she was injured the next day.
In court, Ferreira pleaded guilty to the charges of rape and murder and said he acted out of anger at his mother. During the sentencing, he asked the court to deviate from the prescribed minimum sentence, believing his guilty defense saved court time and expressed remorse.
Prosecutor advocate Andre Wilsenach strongly opposed this and demanded a life sentence. He said Ferreira’s “Actions” were outrageous, he committed them with his unprepared eight-day-old baby to cast a shadow on his mother’s delay.
Wilsenach emphasized Ferreira’s role as biological father, who should protect his children rather than abuse his position to hurt her.
Adv Wilsenach also highlighted Ferreira’s criminal history, which included five previous convictions, one of which was an attack with the intention of causing serious physical harm, underscoring his violent tendencies. Therefore, he asked the court not to deviate from the prescribed minimum penalty.
Judge Portia Phahlane rejected Ferreira’s plea for leniency and agreed to the opinions raised by the state. She ruled that his charges stem from overwhelming evidence of him by the state, rather than real remorse, and found no substantive and compelling situations away from the minimum sentence.
