Horrific details of the crimes allegedly committed by Mohydian Pangaker against his own daughter took centre stage at the Western Cape High Court on Tuesday.
On his second day on the stand as he testified in his own defence Pangaker, 56, slammed the daughter, with whom he fathered a child, as a liar and a dronkie, saying she lied about being beaten by him.
The woman, who cannot be named, lived with Pangaker in Worcester and he was busted by police after they discovered the woman in a hospital.
Earlier in the trial, a picture of the woman was shown as police explained she had refused to open a case against Pangaker.
But adamant officers opened a docket and busted him after observing her condition and being told by his grandchildren what transpired.
Questioned by defence advocate Saleem Halday about the assault, Pangaker said the family was at a party on Christmas Eve in 2019.
He says his daughter was suiping whiskey and beer and “going on”.
Pangaker says his daughter lied when she said he hit her claiming she was so dronk he had to take the baby off her lap while she sat in a wheelchair.
“She wanted to go to the hospital and I told her we must go home because the baby was going on. It’s a lie, I did not hit her, she kept trying to get out of the wheelchair and that is how she got those injuries.”
Halday questioned Pangaker, saying his daughter told the court that she was beaten with fists while holding their baby boy and thrown out of the wheelchair and was forced to lay in a position to protect the infant as Pangaker allegedly repeatedly hit and kicked her.
But Pangaker insisted that this too was a lie, claiming his granddaughter was holding the baby at the time.
Responding to more questions about the sexual assaults on his daughter, Pangaker again denied claims that he violated his daughter.
“In her testimony, she said after the sexual assault you called her the next day and asked her if she liked it. Did that conversation happen?” Halday asked.
Staring at his feet, the suspect looked up and said: “That’s a lie”.
Pangaker is on trial for the murder and rape of 8-year-old Tazne van Wyk, who he allegedly kidnapped in 2020.
He had told police where to find her body in Worcester after he was captured in the Eastern Cape.
The trial continues.